Below are 4 new studies that have implications for preventing youth and young adult substance use and promoting their well-being and positive development.
1. Youth Sports Support Mental Health
Key Finding: Sport is a promising and potentially engaging avenue for supporting mental health among adolescents.
Prevention Implication: Adolescents need more resources from coaches and parents to prevent, cope and help others with mental health issues, including substance use.
Publication: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029217305770
2. Health Behaviors Linked to College Attendance
Key Finding: Regular exercise, adequate sleep, healthy nutrition and avoiding tobacco, alcohol and marijuana use were associated with greater college aspirations and better grades.
Prevention Implication: Addressing all four health behaviors together is likely to have a synergistic and broader effect on academic success and overall health of emerging young adults than addressing individual health risks.
Publication: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2018/04/healthy_student_behaviors_help_college_hopes.html
3. Adolescent Substance Use and Cancer Prevention
Key Finding: Most states in the US showed statistically equivalent performance on adolescent substance use related to cancer risk, i.e., past-month cigarette smoking, binge alcohol drinking and marijuana use.
Prevention Implication: Adolescents in all states would benefit from substance use prevention efforts to reduce lifelong cancer morbidity and mortality.
Publication: https://www.cdc.gov/Pcd/issues/2018/17_0345.htm
4. American Indian Youths on Reservations at Greater Risk for Substance Use
Key Finding: Reservation-based American Indian students are at high risk for nearly all substance use (e.g., alcohol, marijuana and other drugs) compared to national US youths.
Prevention Implication: Early prevention and screening for substance use, and cultural tailoring of evidence-based programs are needed for American Indian youth.
Publication: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2682593
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