The Relationship between Multiple Substance Use, Perceived Academic Achievements, and Selected Socio-Demographic Factors in a Polish Adolescent Sample.

Joanna Mazur,Anna Dzielska,Krzysztof Wąż,Izabela Tabak,Anna Oblacińska

doi:10.3390/ijerph13121264

Abstract

Predictors of high-risk patterns of substance use are often analysed in relation to demographic and school-related factors. The interaction between these factors and the additional impact of family wealth are still new areas of research. The aim of this study was to find determinants of the most common patterns of psychoactive substance use in mid-adolescence, compared to non-users. A sample of 1202 Polish students (46.1% boys, mean age of 15.6 years) was surveyed in 2013/2014. Four patterns of psychoactive substance use were defined using cluster analysis: non-users—71.9%, mainly tobacco and alcohol users—13.7%, high alcohol and cannabis users—7.2%, poly-users—7.2%. The final model contained the main effects of gender and age, and one three-way (perceived academic achievement × gender × family affluence) interaction. Girls with poor perception of school performance (as compared to girls with better achievements) were at significantly higher risk of being poly-users, in both less and more affluent families (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 5.55 and OR = 3.60, respectively). The impact of family affluence was revealed only in interaction with other factors. Patterns of substance use in mid-adolescence are strongly related to perceived academic achievements, and these interact with selected socio-demographic factors.

Highlights

Despite a decreasing trend, the widespread use of psychoactive substances by young people continues
The impact of socioeconomic factors on psychoactive substance use by young people is studied at various levels, taking into consideration the socioeconomic status of the family [8], the
Hełpa-Liszowska points to a number of factors which may cause a deepening of social differences between metropolitan and rural areas; some of these being directly or indirectly related to education

Summary

Introduction

The widespread use of psychoactive substances by young people continues. Alcohol is the most frequently used substance by adolescents. The use of psychoactive substances increases with age, and taking more than one is a frequent phenomenon [2,3,4]. Research interest is focused on adolescents at the age of tobacco, alcohol, and drug initiation (usually at 13 years of age) and in subsequent years, when the first symptoms of problems connected with abuse begin to appear [5,6]. The impact of socioeconomic factors on psychoactive substance use by young people is studied at various levels, taking into consideration the socioeconomic status of the family [8], the

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