The Association of Frequency of Worry About Financial Debt With Substance Use Among Adults in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Financial debt and associated stress might increase the risk of substance use problems or exacerbate existing ones. Little evidence is available about the degree of debt stress and its association with substance use. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of the frequency of worry about debt with heavy episodic drinking (HED), daily smoking, e-cigarette use, and cannabis use in the past 30 days. METHODS: Data were utilized from the 2020/2022 Monitor study, a repeated cross-sectional survey of adults 18 years and older in Ontario, Canada. The surveys employed a web-based panel survey of 6038 adults and collected data on debt-related stress, HED, tobacco smoking, e-cigarettes, and cannabis use in the past 30 days. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated from logistic regression models accounting for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Overall, 18.4% of respondents reported that they were worried about their debt most or all of the time. Accounting for household income, educational status, employment status, and other factors, the results revealed that there was a dose-response relationship between the frequency of worry about debt and substance use including daily smoking, e-cigarette use, and cannabis use in the past 30 days compared to those who were not worried at all about their debt. Sex differences were also found in the association between worry about debt and e-cigarette use. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of worry about debt might have an important role in substance use, which suggests that financial well-being is vital in substance use prevention and harm reduction.

Associations between problem technology use, life stress, and self-esteem among high school students.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a critical period for development, with many risk factors resulting in long-term health consequences, particularly regarding mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between problem technology use, life stress, and self-esteem in a representative sample of adolescents residing in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Self-reported data were obtained from a cross-sectional sample of 4,748 students (57.9% females) in grades 9 to 12 (mean age: 15.9 ± 1.3 years) who participated in the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Problem technology use was measured using the 6-item Short Problem Internet Use Test, life stress was assessed using an item from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey and self-esteem was assessed using a global measure from the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Ordinal logistic regression models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnoracial background, subjective socioeconomic status, body mass index z-score, tobacco cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and cannabis use. RESULTS: We found that 18.3% of participants reported symptoms of moderate-to-high problem technology use, although symptoms were more common in females than males (22% vs. 14.7%, respectively). Moderate-to-high problem technology use was associated with 2.04 (95% CI: 1.77-2.35) times higher odds of reporting high life stress and 2.08 (95% CI: 1.76-2.45) times higher odds of reporting low self-esteem compared to all other response options. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study show that problem technology use is strongly associated with higher life stress and lower self-esteem in adolescents. This study supports the importance of developing and implementing effective strategies that help to mitigate the adverse effects of problem technology use on adolescent mental health.

Cannabis legalization and driving under the influence of cannabis and driving under the influence of alcohol among adult and adolescent drivers in Ontario, Canada (2001-2019).

BACKGROUND: The impacts of cannabis legalization on driving under the influence of cannabis and driving under the influence of alcohol among adults and adolescents were examined in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Data were sourced from adult (N=38,479) and adolescent (N=23,216) populations-based surveys (2001-2019). The associations between cannabis legalization and driving within an hour of using cannabis and driving within an hour of drinking two or more drinks of alcohol were quantified using logistic regression, with testing of multiplicative interactions between cannabis legalization and age and sex. All analyses were conducted separately for adults and adolescents and restricted to participants with a valid driver's license. RESULTS: Cannabis legalization was not associated with driving within an hour of using cannabis among adults (OR, 95% CI: 1.21, 0.69-2.11). However, a multiplicative interaction indicated that there was an increased likelihood of driving within an hour of using cannabis among adults ≥55 years of age (4.23, 1.85-9.71) pre-post cannabis legalization. Cannabis legalization was not associated with driving within an hour of using cannabis among adolescents (0.92, 0.72-1.16), or with driving within an hour of consuming two or more drinks of alcohol among adults (0.78, 0.51-1.20) or adolescents (0.87, 0.42-1.82). CONCLUSIONS: An increased likelihood of driving under the influence of cannabis among adults ≥55 years of age was detected in the year following cannabis legalization, suggesting the need for greater public awareness and education and police monitoring and enforcement concerning driving under the influence of cannabis, particularly among older adults.

Associations between cannabis use, opioid misuse and severe psychological distress in adolescents: A cross-sectional school-based study.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis use and nonmedical use of prescription opioids are consumed by a small to moderate number of adolescents. However, little is known about their combined influence on mental health in this age group. This study examined the association between cannabis use, nonmedical use of prescription opioids, or both with serious psychological distress among adolescents and tested if sex could moderate these associations. METHODS: We based our analyses on cross-sectional data from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a provincially representative sample of students in grades 7 through 12 (aged 11-20 years or older) across Ontario, Canada (n= 7097; mean age: 15.2 ± 1.2 years). Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for important covariates. RESULTS: We found that 20.5% reported cannabis use only, 5.8% reported opioid use only, and 5% reported both cannabis and opioid use. Cannabis use only (odds ratio [OR]:1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.53-2.37), opioid use only (OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.63-3.00), and both cannabis and opioid use (OR: 3.24; 95% CI: 2.25-4.66) were associated with greater odds of serious psychological distress after adjustment for covariates. Associations were similar for males and females. CONCLUSION: The use of both cannabis and opioids is significantly associated with serious psychological distress among adolescents. Adolescents who use both cannabis and opioids represent a small and vulnerable group that should be targeted in future interventions against mental health problems. Health professionals should consider screening for polysubstance use, especially when working with adolescents who use cannabis.

Factors associated with stress about returning to pre-pandemic routines among Canadians.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a public health concern, with important impacts on individuals' mental health. Many people have experienced significant changes to their daily routines due to the pandemic and for some, returning to pre-pandemic routines could create elevated stress. The present study explored factors associated with stress about returning to pre-pandemic routines (SRPR). A web-based, cross-sectional survey of 1,001 Canadian adults aged 18 years and older was conducted on July 9-13, 2021. SRPR was assessed by asking the respondents how much stress they have been feeling about returning to their pre-pandemic routines. Sociodemographic variables, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and COVID-19-related worry were examined in relation to SRPR. Overall, 28.8% of respondents reported moderate to extreme SRPR. After adjusting for covariates, factors associated with elevated SRPR included: younger age (AOR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.30-4.03), higher education (AOR = 2.08, 95%CI 1.14-3.79), being very worried about getting COVID-19 (AOR = 4.14, 95%CI 2.46-6.95), switching to working from home (AOR = 2.43, 95%CI 1.44-4.11), having anxiety (AOR = 5.02, 95%CI 3.19-7.89), feeling depressed (AOR = 1.93, 95%CI 1.14-3.25), and feeling lonely (AOR = 1.74, 95%CI 1.07-2.83). The findings of this study suggest that individuals experiencing mental health concerns (anxiety, feeling depressed, feeling lonely) may be especially likely to feel elevated SRPR and may therefore need additional support in making the transition back to prior routines.

Effects of cannabis legalisation on patterns of cannabis consumption among adolescents in Ontario, Canada (2001-2019).

INTRODUCTION: Cannabis legalisation was enacted on 17 October 2018 in Canada. Accordingly, the effects of cannabis legalisation on patterns of cannabis consumption were examined among adolescents, including on cannabis initiation, any cannabis use, daily cannabis use and cannabis dependence. METHODS: Data from a biennial population-based, cross-sectional survey of students in Ontario were pooled in a pre-post design (2001-2019; N = 89,238). Participants provided self-reports of cannabis initiation, any cannabis use, daily cannabis use and cannabis dependence. Long-term trends in these patterns of cannabis consumption over two decades of observation were characterised to provide a broader context of usage. The effects of cannabis legalisation on patterns of cannabis consumption were quantified using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Long-term trends over the two decades of observation indicated that cannabis initiation decreased and then increased (p = 0.0220), any cannabis use decreased and daily cannabis use decreased (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0001, respectively) and cannabis dependence remained unchanged (p = 0.1187). However, in comparisons between the pre-cannabis legalisation period (2001-2017) and the post-cannabis legalisation period (2019), cannabis legalisation was not associated with cannabis initiation (odds ratio; 95% confidence interval 1.00; 0.79-1.27), but it was associated with an increased likelihood of any cannabis use (1.31; 1.12-1.53), daily cannabis use (1.40; 1.09-1.80) and cannabis dependence (1.98; 1.29-3.04). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis legalisation was not associated with cannabis initiation, but it was associated with an increased likelihood of any cannabis use, daily cannabis use and cannabis dependence.

The mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic among individuals with depressive, anxiety, and stressor-related disorders: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: A scoping review of studies published in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic focused on individuals with pre-existing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and specified stressor-related disorders, with the objective of mapping the research conducted. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: (1) direct study of individuals with pre-existing depressive, anxiety, and/or specified stressor-related (i.e., posttraumatic stress, acute stress) disorders/issues; (2) focus on mental health-related pandemic effects, and; (3) direct study of mental health symptoms related to depression, anxiety, or psychological distress. SOURCES OF EVIDENCE: Database-specific subject headings and natural language keywords were searched in Medline, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) up to March 3, 2021. Review of potentially relevant studies was conducted by two independent reviewers and proceeded in two stages: (1) title and abstract review, and; (2) full paper review. DATA CHARTING: Study details (i.e., location, design and methodology, sample or population, outcome measures, and key findings) were extracted from included studies by one reviewer and confirmed by the Principal Investigator. RESULTS: 66 relevant articles from 26 countries were identified. Most studies adopted a cross-sectional design and were conducted via online survey. About half relied on general population samples, with the remainder assessing special populations, primarily mental health patients. The most commonly reported pre-existing category of disorders or symptoms was depression, followed closely by anxiety. Most studies included depressive and anxiety symptoms as outcome measures and demonstrated increased vulnerability to mental health symptoms among individuals with a pre-existing mental health issue. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that improved mental health supports are needed during the pandemic and point to future research needs, including reviews of other diagnostic categories and reviews of research published in subsequent years of the pandemic.

Heavy social media use and posting regret are associated with lower self-esteem among middle and high school students.

OBJECTIVE: Social media use has become ubiquitous among schoolchildren. This study examined the association of social media use and posting regret with self-esteem among middle and high school students, and tested whether school type (i.e., middle vs. high school) could moderate these associations. METHODS: Data on 6944 schoolchildren (mean age: 15.2 ± 1.8 years) were derived from the 2019 cycle of the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a biennial repeated cross-sectional survey of students in grades 7 through 12 across Ontario, Canada. Students self-reported time spent using social media, regret of posting on social media, and their self-esteem. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were adjusted for age, sex, subjective socioeconomic status, ethnoracial background, and body mass index z-score. RESULTS: The proportional odds model showed that middle (OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.65-3.36) and high school (OR: 1.72; 95% CI: 1.44-2.06) students with daily social media use of 5 h or more have higher odds of lower self-esteem across the categories of self-esteem. However, daily use of 3 to 4 h was associated with lower self-esteem among middle school students (OR: 1.52; 95% CI: 1.14-2.04), but not among their high school counterparts (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 0.94-1.35). Posting regret was associated with lower self-esteem in high school students, but not in middle school students. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that heavy social media use and posting regret are associated with lower self-esteem among adolescents, and that younger students could be more vulnerable than their older counterparts.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: L'utilisation des médias sociaux est devenue omniprésente chez les écoliers. Cette étude a examiné l'association entre l'utilisation des médias sociaux et les regrets liés à l'affichage et l'estime de soi chez les élèves de niveau intermédiaire et secondaire, et a vérifié si le niveau scolaire (c'est-à-dire intermédiaire comparé au secondaire) pouvait modérer ces associations. MéTHODES: Les données concernant 6 944 écoliers (âge moyen : 15,2 ± 1,8 ans) proviennent du cycle 2019 de l'Enquête sur la consommation de drogues et la santé des élèves de l'Ontario, une enquête transversale répétée de façon bisannuelle menée auprès des élèves de la 7e à la 12e année dans l'ensemble de l'Ontario, au Canada. Les élèves ont déclaré eux-mêmes le temps passé à utiliser les médias sociaux, le regret de publier sur les médias sociaux et leur estime de soi. Les analyses de régression logistique ordinale ont été ajustées en fonction de l'âge, du sexe, du statut socioéconomique subjectif, de l'origine ethnoraciale et du score z de l'indice de masse corporelle. RéSULTATS: Le modèle des cotes proportionnelles a montré que les élèves des écoles intermédiaires (RC : 2,36; IC à 95% : 1,65­3,36) et secondaires (RC : 1,72; IC à 95% : 1,44­2,06) qui utilisent quotidiennement les médias sociaux pendant 5 heures ou plus sont plus susceptibles d'avoir une faible estime de soi dans toutes les catégories de l'estime de soi. Cependant, une utilisation quotidienne de 3 à 4 heures était associée à une plus faible estime de soi chez les élèves de niveau intermédiaire (RC : 1,52; IC à 95% : 1,14­2,04), mais pas chez leurs homologues du secondaire (RC : 1,13; IC à 95% : 0,94­1,35). Le fait d'avoir des regrets était associé à une plus faible estime de soi chez les élèves du secondaire, mais pas chez ceux du niveau intermédiaire. CONCLUSION: Les résultats suggèrent que l'utilisation intensive des médias sociaux et les regrets liés à l'affichage sont associés à une faible estime de soi chez les adolescents, et que les jeunes élèves pourraient être plus vulnérables que leurs homologues plus âgés.

Heavy social media use and psychological distress among adolescents: the moderating role of sex, age, and parental support.

Background: Despite increasing evidence that social media use is associated with adolescents' mental well-being, little is known about the role of various factors in modifying the effect of this association during adolescence. This study examined the association between social media use and psychological distress among adolescents and explored whether sex, age, and parental support moderate this association. Methods: Data came from a representative sample of middle and high school students in Ontario, Canada. Cross-sectional analyses included 6,822 students derived from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Results: Our results showed that 48% of adolescents used social media for 3 h or more per day, and 43.7% had moderate to severe psychological distress, with a higher prevalence among females (54%) than males (31%). After adjustment for relevant covariates, heavy social media use (≥3 h/day) was associated with increased odds of severe psychological distress [odds ratio (OR): 2.01; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.59-2.55]. The association of social media use with psychological distress was modified by age (p < 0.05) but not sex or parental support. The association was stronger among younger adolescents. Conclusion: Heavy social media use is associated with higher levels of psychological distress, with younger adolescents being the most vulnerable. Longitudinal studies are recommended for future research to examine in more depth the role of sex, age, and parental support in the association between social media use and psychological distress to better determine the strength and of the association.

A longitudinal investigation of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to examine the impacts of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on various dimensions of wellbeing among 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness over a 12-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: 2SLGBTQ+ youth (recruited using a convenience sampling method) participated in three online surveys to assess mental health (depression, anxiety, suicidality), substance and alcohol use, health care access, and violence for 12-months between 2021-2022. Quantitative data analysis included non-parametric one-sample proportion tests, paired t-test and McNemar's test. Longitudinal data collected across all three timepoints were treated as paired data and compared to baseline data using non-parametric exact multinomial tests, and if significant, followed by pairwise post-hoc exact binomial tests. For the purposes of analysis, participants were grouped according to their baseline survey based on pandemic waves and public health restrictions. RESULTS: 2SLGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness (n = 87) reported high rates of mental health challenges, including anxiety and depression, over 12-months during the pandemic. Youth participants reported experiencing poor mental health during the early waves of the pandemic, with improvements to their mental health throughout the pandemic; however, results were not statistically significant. Likewise, participants experienced reduced access to mental health care during the early waves of the pandemic but mental health care access increased for youth throughout the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Study results showed high rates of mental health issues among 2SLGBTQ+ youth, but reduced access to mental health care, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings highlight the need for 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming mental health care and services to address social and mental health issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Disparities in cannabis-related emergency department visits across depressed and non-depressed individuals and the impact of recreational cannabis policy in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Recreational cannabis policies are being considered in many jurisdictions internationally. Given that cannabis use is more prevalent among people with depression, legalisation may lead to more adverse events in this population. Cannabis legalisation in Canada included the legalisation of flower and herbs (phase 1) in October 2018, and the deregulation of cannabis edibles one year later (phase 2). This study investigated disparities in cannabis-related emergency department (ED) visits in depressed and non-depressed individuals in each phase. METHODS: Using administrative data, we identified all adults diagnosed with depression 60 months prior to legalisation (n = 929 844). A non-depressed comparison group was identified using propensity score matching. We compared the pre-post policy differences in cannabis-related ED-visits in depressed individuals v. matched (and unmatched) non-depressed individuals. RESULTS: In the matched sample (i.e. comparison with non-depressed people similar to the depressed group), people with depression had approximately four times higher risk of cannabis-related ED-visits relative to the non-depressed over the entire period. Phases 1 and 2 were not associated with any changes in the matched depressed and non-depressed groups. In the unmatched sample (i.e. comparison with the non-depressed general population), the disparity between individuals with and without depression is greater. While phase 1 was associated with an immediate increase in ED-visits among the general population, phase 2 was not associated with any changes in the unmatched depressed and non-depressed groups. CONCLUSIONS: Depression is a risk factor for cannabis-related ED-visits. Cannabis legalisation did not further elevate the risk among individuals diagnosed with depression.

Age, period and cohort effects on time trends in monthly cannabis use in adult population: 1996-2019.

INTRODUCTION: With changes in norms related to cannabis use and in the regulation of cannabis, understanding trends in cannabis use is important, especially differentiating between trends that affect cohorts of all ages similarly, versus trends that disproportionately affect a younger generation. The present study examined the age-period-cohort (APC) effects on monthly cannabis use among adults in Ontario, Canada over a 24-year period. METHODS: Data were utilised from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Monitor Survey, an annual repeated cross-sectional survey of adults 18 years of age and older. The present analyses focused on the 1996 to 2019 surveys, which employed a regionally stratified sampling design using computer-assisted telephone interviews (N = 60,171). Monthly use of cannabis stratified by sex were examined. RESULTS: There was about a five-fold increase in monthly cannabis use from 1996 (3.1%) to 2019 (16.6%). The youngest adults use cannabis monthly more, but the patterns of monthly cannabis use appeared to be increasing among older adults. Adults born in the 1950s had higher prevalence of cannabis use (1.25 times more likely to use) compared to those born in 1964, with strongest period effect in 2019. The subgroup analysis of monthly cannabis use by sex showed little variation in APC effects. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: There is a change in patterns of cannabis use among older adults and inclusion of birth cohort dimension improves the explanation of cannabis use trends. Adults in the 1950s birth cohort and increases in the normalisation of cannabis use could also be the key to explaining increasing monthly cannabis use.

Psychological distress, non-medical use of prescription medications, and perceived unmet mental health care needs: a cross-sectional study of Ontario students.

PURPOSE: The non-medical use of prescription medications among adolescents has become a concerning public health issue. This study assessed the prevalence of the non-medical use of prescription medications in Ontario high school students, and explored the moderating effect of this use on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs. METHODS: Cross-sectional data for 4896 students, age 14-18, were drawn from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler-6 Distress Scale, unmet mental health needs were defined by self-report (yes/no), and non-prescription medication use was defined by self-reported frequency of use. Using logistic regression, we explored the effect of the non-medical use of prescription medications on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs. RESULTS: High proportions of Ontario students reported serious psychological distress (22%), some degree of unmet mental health need (38%), and/or non-medical use of prescription medications (13%). While there were strong associations between psychological distress and unmet mental health need, this association was weaker among those reporting non-medical use of prescription medications (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.9-5.7) compared to non-users (OR = 5.6, 95% CI 4.5-7.1). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that Ontario students experiencing distress and using non-prescribed medications are less likely to identify a need for mental health support, highlighting the consequences of apparent self-medication through misuse of prescription medications. To assist in the redirection of adolescent perceptions of healthy coping strategies, population-based educational programming, with targeted promotion of both formal and informal mental health care resources, should be considered.

Cannabis legalization and cannabis use, daily cannabis use and cannabis-related problems among adults in Ontario, Canada (2001-2019).

BACKGROUND: In the context of cannabis legalization in Canada, we examined the effects on cannabis patterns of consumption, including cannabis use, daily cannabis use and cannabis-related problems. In addition, we examined differential effects of cannabis legalization by age and sex. METHODS: A pre-post design was operationalized by combining 19 iterations of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Monitor Surveys (N = 52,260; 2001-2019): repeated, population-based, cross-sectional surveys of adults in Ontario. Participants provided self-reports of cannabis use (past 12 months), daily cannabis use (past 12 months) and cannabis-related problems though telephone interviews. The effects of cannabis legalization on cannabis patterns of consumption were examined using logistic regression analyses, with testing of two-way interactions to determine differential effects by age and sex. RESULTS: Cannabis use prevalence increased from 11 % to 26 % (p < 0.0001), daily cannabis use prevalence increased from 1 % to 6 % (p < 0.0001) and cannabis-related problems prevalence increased from 6 % to 14 % (p < 0.0001) between 2001 and 2019. Cannabis legalization was associated with an increased likelihood of cannabis use (OR, 95 % CI: 1.62, 1.40-1.86), daily cannabis use (1.59, 1.21-2.07) and cannabis-related problems (1.53, 1.20-1.95). For cannabis-related problems, a significant two-way interaction was observed between cannabis legalization and age (p = 0.0001), suggesting differential effects among adults ≥55 years. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis legalization was associated with an increased likelihood of cannabis use, daily cannabis use and cannabis-related problems. Given increases in these cannabis patterns of consumption, broader dissemination and uptake of targeted prevention tools is indicated.

Cross-sectional Study of Factors Associated With Suicide Ideation in Ontario Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in Canadian adolescents. The Interpersonal Theory of Suicide attempts to explain suicide etiology and proposes that feelings of perceived burdensomeness or thwarted belongingness lead to suicide ideation, but this has not been extensively studied in adolescents. This study aimed to use the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide to examine factors that may be associated with suicide ideation in adolescents. The factors of interest were school connectedness, perceived availability of support, self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of hopelessness, bullying and cyberbullying victimization, substance use, and social media use. METHODS: Data were from the 2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a survey of 7th to 12th graders enrolled in a publicly funded school in Ontario. Weighted multivariate logistic regression of suicide ideation on all exposure variables was conducted. RESULTS: 13.6% of students in the sample endorsed having suicidal ideation in the preceding 12 months. Not knowing where to turn to for support, feeling worthless, endorsing low self-esteem, being bullied, and using cannabis were each associated with greater odds of suicide ideation. Feeling hopeless, social media use, using alcohol and tobacco, and being cyberbullied were not associated with suicide ideation in the weighted multivariate logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: This study is consistent with the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide as low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness, two indicators of perceived burdensomeness, and not knowing where to turn to for support, an indicator of thwarted belongingness, were associated with greater odds of suicide ideation. These findings can help guide interventions aimed at reducing the burden of suicidality during adolescence and demonstrate the need to provide accessible mental health support for youth.

Changes in household debt due to COVID-19 and mental health concerns among adults in Ontario, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Canadian households experienced unexpected changes in their economic well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. The extent of the impact of the pandemic on household debt and its effect on health and mental health remains unknown. AIM: The aim of the study was to examine the associations of change in household debt due to COVID-19 with serious psychological distress (SPD) and general health measures. METHODS: Data were from the 2020 Monitor study, a repeated cross-sectional survey of adults 18 years and older in Ontario, Canada. The 2020 cycle employed a web-based panel survey of 3,033 adults. The survey included measures of change in household debt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental and general health. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated from logistic regression models accounting for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: Overall, 17.5% of respondents reported that their household debt increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Such an increase in household debt was significantly associated with SPD (OR = 2.92, 95% CI, 2.05-4.16), fair/poor mental health (OR = 2.02, 95% CI, 1.59-2.56), frequent mental distress days (OR = 1.80, 95% CI, 1.31-2.48), fair/poor general health (OR = 1.93, 95% CI, 1.47-2.52), and suicidal ideation (OR = 3.71, 95% CI, 2.41-5.70) after adjusting for potential confounders including education, income and employment. CONCLUSIONS: Household debt during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important determinant of health. Individuals who reported an increase in household debt due to COVID-19 were more likely to report serious mental health concerns including suicidal ideation. This suggests that debt-related interventions may be needed to alleviate the adverse effects of indebtedness on health.

Household composition and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic: A population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Household composition may be an important factor associated with anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic as people spend more time at home due to physical distancing and lockdown restrictions. Adults living with children-especially women-may be particularly vulnerable to anxiety as they balance additional childcare responsibilities and homeschooling with work. The objective of this study was to examine the association between household composition and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore gender as an effect modifier. METHODS: Data were derived from seven waves of a national online survey of Canadian adults aged 18+ years from May 2020 to March 2021, which used quota sampling by age, gender, and region proportional to the English-speaking Canadian population (n = 7,021). Multivariable logistic and modified least-squares regression models were used. RESULTS: Compared to those living alone, significantly greater odds of anxiety symptoms were observed among single parents/guardians (aOR = 2.00; 95%CI: 1.41-2.84), those living with adult(s) and child(ren) (aOR = 1.39; 95%CI: 1.10-1.76), and those living with adult(s) only (aOR = 1.22; 95%CI: 1.00-1.49). Gender was a significant effect modifier on the additive scale (p = 0.0487) such that the association between living with child(ren) and anxiety symptoms was stronger among men than women. CONCLUSION: Additional tailored supports are needed to address anxiety among adults living with children-especially men-during the COVID-19 pandemic and future infectious disease events.

Exploring the Association of e-Cigarette and/or Cannabis Use with Heavy Episodic Drinking among Ontario Adults.

Background: The use of electronic cigarettes and cannabis has significantly increased in recent years, which raises public health concerns. There are also concerns about the association of these substances with drinking behaviors. The main objective of the present study is to examine the association of e-cigarettes and/or cannabis use with heavy episodic drinking (HED) among Ontario adults. Methods: The sample consisted of 5,564 adults from the Monitor Survey in 2018 and 2019. Cannabis and e-cigarette use reflected any use of the substances in the past 12 months. HED was defined as consumption of four/five or more drinks on a single occasion at least monthly in the past 12 months. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated from logistic regression models accounting for complex survey design and sociodemographic factors. Results: Overall, the prevalence of HED was 17.5% in 2018 and 2019. Among participants who reported both e-cigarette and cannabis use, about one-half (50.4%) reported HED at least monthly. Adjusting for covariates, the odds of HED were 5.71 (95%CI, 3.92-8.30) times higher among those who reported both e-cigarette and cannabis use compared to those who used neither substance. Conclusions: The use of e-cigarettes and cannabis are significantly associated with heavy episodic drinking among adults, indicating that those who engage in the dual use of e-cigarette and cannabis may be an important group to target with intervention programs.

Cyberbullying involvement, parental support, and cannabis use among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Cyberbullying victimization has been associated with cannabis use among adolescents. However, it is unclear if this relationship also holds for cyberbullying perpetrators. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study examined the association between cyberbullying involvement and cannabis use among adolescents and tested if parental support was associated with cyberbullying involvement and cannabis use. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data from 7229 students aged 11-20 years were obtained from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, a province-wide survey of middle and high school students across Ontario, Canada. METHODS: Participants self-reported their cannabis use frequency, their involvement in cyberbullying, and their perception of parental support. Cyberbullying involvement was operationalized as an action taking place at least two times. Multivariable logistic regression models were adjusted for age, sex, ethnoracial background, and subjective socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Overall, 8.6 % of students were cyberbullying victims only, 2 % were cyberbullying perpetrators only, and 2.8 % were both cyberbullying victims and perpetrators. Results showed that experience of cyberbullying victimization only (OR: 2.17; 95 % CI: 1.64-2.88), perpetration only (OR: 2.64; 95 % CI: 1.51-4.63), or both (OR: 3.34; 95 % CI: 2.12-5.28) was associated with greater odds of cannabis use. Results further indicated that higher parental support was associated with lower odds of cannabis use in a dose-response fashion. Higher parental support was also associated with a lower risk of cyberbullying involvement. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that involvement in cyberbullying in any role is associated with greater cannabis use among adolescents and that parental support is associated with less cannabis use and cyberbullying involvement.

Self-reported mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with alcohol and cannabis use: a latent class analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mental health problems and substance use co-morbidities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic are a public health priority. Identifying individuals at high-risk of developing mental health problems and potential sequela can inform mitigating strategies. We aimed to identify distinct groups of individuals (i.e., latent classes) based on patterns of self-reported mental health symptoms and investigate their associations with alcohol and cannabis use. METHODS: We used data from six successive waves of a web-based cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 years and older living in Canada (6,021 participants). We applied latent class analysis to three domains of self-reported mental health most likely linked to effects of the pandemic: anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Logistic regression was used to characterize latent class membership, estimate the association of class membership with alcohol and cannabis use, and perform sex-based analyses. RESULTS: We identified two distinct classes: (1) individuals with low scores on all three mental health indicators (no/low-symptoms) and (2) those reporting high scores across the three measures (high-symptoms). Between 73.9 and 77.1% of participants were in the no/low-symptoms class and 22.9-26.1% of participants were in the high-symptom class. We consistently found across all six waves that individuals at greater risk of being in the high-symptom class were more likely to report worrying about getting COVID-19 with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) between 1.72 (95%CI:1.17-2.51) and 3.51 (95%CI:2.20-5.60). Those aged 60 + were less likely to be in this group with aORs (95%CI) between 0.26 (0.15-0.44) and 0.48 (0.29-0.77) across waves. We also found some factors associated with class membership varied at different time points. Individuals in the high-symptom class were more likely to use cannabis at least once a week (aOR = 2.28, 95%CI:1.92-2.70), drink alcohol heavily (aOR = 1.71, 95%CI:1.49-1.96); and increase the use of cannabis (aOR = 3.50, 95%CI:2.80-4.37) and alcohol (aOR = 2.37, 95%CI:2.06-2.74) during the pandemic. Women in the high-symptom class had lower odds of drinking more alcohol during the pandemic than men. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the determinants of experiencing high anxiety, depression, and loneliness symptoms and found a significant association with alcohol and cannabis consumption. This suggests that initiatives and supports are needed to address mental health and substance use multi-morbidities.