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Background: Early substance use is associated with increased risks for mental health and substance use problems which are compounded when using several substances (i.e., polysubstance use). A notable increase in substance use occurs when adolescents transition from elementary to secondary schooling. Objective: This study seeks to characterize student and school classes of substance use. Methods: A cross-sectional multilevel latent class analysis and regression was conducted on a representative sample of 19,130 grade 6-8 students from 180 elementary schools in Ontario, Canada to: 1) identify distinct classes of student substance use; 2) identify classes of schools based on student classes; and 3) explore correlates of these classes, including mental health, school climate, belonging, safety, and extracurricular participation. Results: Two student and two school classes were identified. 4.1% of students were assigned to the high probability of early polysubstance use class while the remaining 95.9% were in the low probability class. Students experiencing depressive and externalizing symptoms had higher odds of being in the early polysubstance use class (Odds Ratio [OR]s=1.1-1.25). At the school level, 19% of schools had higher proportions of students endorsing polysubstance use. Perceptions of positive school climate, belonging, and safety increased the odds of students being in the low probability of early polysubstance use student-level class (ORs=0.85-0.93) and lower probability of early polysubstance use school-level class. Associations related to extracurricular participation were largely not statistically significant. Conclusions: Student and school substance use classes may serve as targets for tailored prevention and early interventions. Results support examining school-based interventions targeting school climate, belonging, and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High rates of substance misuse during emerging adulthood (~17-25 years of age, also referred to as young adulthood) require developmentally appropriate clinical programs. This article outlines: 1) the development of an evidence-informed young adult outpatient substance use program that takes a biopsychosocial patient-centred approach to care; 2) a quality improvement process and protocol; and 3) the patient characteristics of an initial cohort. Literature reviews, program reviews, environmental scans, and consultations with interested parties (including individuals with lived expertise) were used to develop the program. A 12-week measurement-based care program was developed comprising: 1) individual measurement-based care and motivational enhancement therapy sessions; 2) group programming focused on cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation; 3) clinical consultations for diagnostic clarification and/or medication review; and 4) an independent Community Reinforcement Approach Family Training (CRAFT) group for loved ones. A measurement system was concurrently created to collect clinical and program evaluation data at six time points. In the first 21 months of the program, 152 young adults enrolled in the program (mean age = 21 years old, 47% female gender) primarily reporting treatment targets of cannabis (68%) and alcohol (63%) and almost all presenting with co-occurring mental health concerns (95%). The initial cohort who completed the program showed symptom improvements. Collectively, the program demonstrates the feasibility of developing an evidence-informed young adult substance use program using measurement-based care, but also the need for flexibility and ongoing monitoring to meet local needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the recent legalization of nonmedical cannabis in Canada, it is important to document previous associations between cannabis use and major depressive episode and suicidal ideation, as well as the extent to which these associations have changed over time.Methods: This study uses pooled data from the 2002 and 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey's Mental Health Component, which are repeated cross-sectional surveys of nationally representative samples of Canadians 15 to 60 years of age (n = 43,466). Binary logistic regression was performed, applying weighting and bootstrapping, to examine the association between at least monthly use of cannabis and past 12-month suicidal ideation and major depressive episode (MDE).Results: At least monthly nonmedical cannabis use was associated with an increased odds of MDE and suicidal ideation, and both associations strengthened in 2012 compared to 2002. Canadians using cannabis at least once a month in 2012 had 1.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11 to 2.27) times the odds of experiencing suicidal ideation and 1.55 (95% CI, 1.12 to 2.13) times the odds of experiencing MDE compared to those who used cannabis at least once a month in 2002. This temporal change remained after controlling for other substance use.Conclusions: Monthly cannabis use was consistently related to both suicidal ideation and MDE, and these associations were stronger in 2012 compared to 2002. The findings of this study provide a baseline for the association between cannabis use and suicide and depression in the Canadian population that should be reevaluated now that nonmedical cannabis has been legalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders are leading causes of morbidity worldwide. The most commonly used illicit substance is cannabis and there is some evidence that the association between cannabis use and poor mental health is more pronounced among females compared with males. This analysis examines sex differences in the association between cannabis use and major depressive episode (MDE), suicidal thoughts and attempts, and psychological distress.Methods: This study uses data from the 2002 and 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey's Mental Health Component, repeated cross-sectional surveys of nationally representative samples of Canadians 15 years of age and older ( n = 43,466). Linear and binary logistic regressions were performed, applying weighting and bootstrapping.Results: There were significant sex differences in the strength of the association between cannabis use and suicidal thoughts and attempts and psychological distress, but not MDE. Females who reported using cannabis occasionally (defined as 1 to 4 times a month) reported higher levels of psychological distress than their male counterparts. Females who reported using regularly (defined as more than once per week) reported higher levels of psychological distress and were more likely to report suicidal thoughts and attempts.Conclusions: Future research is needed to further our understanding of the nature of these sex differences. Public health messaging should incorporate being female as a potential risk factor for the co-occurrence of cannabis use and emotional problems, particularly at higher frequencies of use. Clinicians should also be aware of this association to better inform integrated mental health and substance use screening, discussions, and care, particularly for female patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental disorders are the leading cause of disease burden among youth. Effective prevention of mental disorders during adolescence is a critical public health strategy to reduce both individual and societal harms. Schools are an important setting for prevention; however, existing universal school-based mental health interventions have shown null, and occasionally iatrogenic, effects in preventing symptoms of common disorders, such as depression and anxiety., Objective: This study aims to report the adaptation process of an established, universal, school-based prevention program for depression and anxiety, OurFutures Mental Health. Using a 4-stage process; triangulating quantitative, qualitative, and evidence syntheses; and centering the voices of young people, the revised program is trauma-informed; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer, questioning, and otherwise gender and sexuality diverse (LGBTQA+) affirmative; relevant to contemporary youth; and designed to tailor intervention dosage to those who need it most (proportionate universalism)., Methods: Program adaptation occurred from April 2022 to July 2023 and involved 4 stages. Stage 1 comprised mixed methods analysis of student evaluation data (n=762; mean age 13.5, SD 0.62 y), collected immediately after delivering the OurFutures Mental Health program in a previous trial. Stage 2 consisted of 3 focus groups with high school students (n=39); regular meetings with a purpose-built, 8-member LGBTQA+ youth advisory committee; and 2 individual semistructured, in-depth interviews with LGBTQA+ young people via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications) or WhatsApp (Meta) text message. Stage 3 involved a clinical psychologist providing an in-depth review of all program materials with the view of enhancing readability, improving utility, and normalizing emotions while retaining key cognitive behavioral therapy elements. Finally, stage 4 involved fortnightly consultations among researchers and clinicians on the intervention adaptation, drawing on the latest evidence from existing literature in school-based prevention interventions, trauma-informed practice, and adolescent mental health., Results: Drawing on feedback from youth, clinical psychologists, and expert youth mental health researchers, sourced from stages 1 to 4, a series of adaptations were made to the storylines, characters, and delivery of therapeutic content contained in the weekly manualized program content, classroom activities, and weekly student and teacher lesson summaries., Conclusions: The updated OurFutures Mental Health program is a trauma-informed, LBGTQA+ affirmative program aligned with the principles of proportionate universalism. The program adaptation responds to recent mixed findings on universal school-based mental health prevention programs, which include null, small beneficial, and small iatrogenic effects. The efficacy of the refined OurFutures Mental Health program is currently being tested through a cluster randomized controlled trial with up to 1400 students in 14 schools across Australia. It is hoped that the refined program will advance the current stalemate in universal school-based prevention of common mental disorders and ultimately improve the mental health and well-being of young people in schools., (©Lucinda Grummitt, Sasha Bailey, Erin V Kelly, Louise Birrell, Lauren A Gardner, Jillian Halladay, Cath Chapman, Jack L Andrews, Katrina E Champion, Emily Hunter, Lyra Egan, Chloe Conroy, Raaya Tiko, An Nguyen, Maree Teesson, Nicola C Newton, Emma L Barrett. Originally published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting (https://pediatrics.jmir.org), 21.08.2024.)