Shaezeen Syed1, Hugues Sampasa-Kanyinga1, Hayley A Hamilton2,3, Mila Kingsbury1, Ian Colman4,5. 1. School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Room 308C, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada. 2. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. 3. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 4. School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, 600 Peter Morand Crescent, Room 308C, Ottawa, ON, K1G 5Z3, Canada. icolman@uottawa.ca. 5. Centre for Fertility and Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. icolman@uottawa.ca.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: School belonging impacts a range of factors, including academic performance, school attendance, relationships with peers and teachers, mental and physical health, and drug and alcohol use. Previous studies have shown that a lack of belonging to one's school is associated with substance use. The objective of the study was to examine the association between low school belongingness and the use of opioids in students in grades 9 through 12 in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Data were gathered from 6418 participants in grades 9-12 who responded to the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). Logistic regression analyses were used to model associations between low school belongingness and opioid use, adjusted for gender, grade, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and living situation. RESULTS: Overall, low school belongingness was associated with non-prescribed opioid use (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.17). Feeling unsafe at school (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.23-1.66) was associated with elevated odds of using non-medically prescribed opioids. Girls who felt that they were not a part of their school community were at elevated odds of using opioids (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.16-1.56); this association was not observed among boys. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that low school belongingness may be associated with the use of non-prescribed opioids in students. These findings suggest that school-based interventions aimed at improving social cohesion and feelings of belongingness and safety may be beneficial in reducing the use of non-prescription opioids among adolescents.
OBJECTIVES: School belonging impacts a range of factors, including academic performance, school attendance, relationships with peers and teachers, mental and physical health, and drug and alcohol use. Previous studies have shown that a lack of belonging to one's school is associated with substance use. The objective of the study was to examine the association between low school belongingness and the use of opioids in students in grades 9 through 12 in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Data were gathered from 6418 participants in grades 9-12 who responded to the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS). Logistic regression analyses were used to model associations between low school belongingness and opioid use, adjusted for gender, grade, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and living situation. RESULTS: Overall, low school belongingness was associated with non-prescribed opioid use (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.05-1.17). Feeling unsafe at school (OR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.23-1.66) was associated with elevated odds of using non-medically prescribed opioids. Girls who felt that they were not a part of their school community were at elevated odds of using opioids (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.16-1.56); this association was not observed among boys. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that low school belongingness may be associated with the use of non-prescribed opioids in students. These findings suggest that school-based interventions aimed at improving social cohesion and feelings of belongingness and safety may be beneficial in reducing the use of non-prescription opioids among adolescents.
Entities:
Keywords:
Adolescents; Belongingness; Non-prescription opioid use; School
Authors: R Kathryn McHugh; Elise E Devito; Dorian Dodd; Kathleen M Carroll; Jennifer Sharpe Potter; Shelly F Greenfield; Hilary Smith Connery; Roger D Weiss Journal: J Subst Abuse Treat Date: 2013-01-11