[Suicide, mental health and substance uses among French adolescents in 2014]. / Suicide, santé mentale et usages de substances psychoactives chez les adolescents français en 2014.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe potential associations between suicidal behaviors and psychoactive substance uses among adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional, national survey representative of adolescents aged 17, living in continental France, was conducted in 2014. A total of 22,023 adolescents answered an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire about their health and their use of psychoactive substances. Suicidal risk was assessed by means of a 4-level indicator [1. No depression, as stipulated by the Adolescent Depression Rating Scale (ADRS); 2. Depression, no suicidal ideation, no suicidal attempts; 3. Depression with suicidal ideation; 4. Depression with suicidal attempts]. Multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to identify the factors significantly related to frequent substance uses. RESULTS: Three percent of adolescents (1.8% of boys vs. 3.7% of girls) were labeled as suffering from severe depression, 10% stated they had suicidal thoughts during the last year and 3% attempted to commit suicide at least once in their lifetime. The results support the view of a gradient between suicidal risk severity and regular use of tobacco and cannabis. The association with regular alcohol use appears somewhat weaker. CONCLUSION: Suicidal behaviors and regular substance uses are significantly related but also mediated by adolescents' mental health.

[Smoking and vaping in France]. / Consommation de tabac et usage de cigarette électronique en France.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the article is to present a summary of current knowledge on tobacco smoking in France available through representative population surveys. STATE OF ART: Smoking is very common in France as more than a quarter (28.7%) of 15-75years old individuals reported daily smoking in 2016. The rate is also high among 15-year-old (14.6%) and half of them (51.8%) have already smoked one cigarette. Since the 1970s, sex differences in smoking behaviour are narrowing. More recently, since 2000, smoking prevalence has tended to decrease among the most advantaged individuals but to increase among less advantaged ones. These social inequalities, which are becoming more and more pronounced, are being observed from smoking initiation, often before the age of 18. Daily users of E-cigarettes represent 2.5% of individuals from 15-75 years in France. They are also tobacco smokers (58.8%) or former smokers (41.2%). PERSPECTIVES: Taking social inequalities in health into consideration, notably regarding smoking initiation, is a key challenge in the fight against smoking. CONCLUSIONS: It is essential to strengthen efforts to decrease the rate of smoking in France. The 2017 Health Barometer and Escapad surveys will allow evaluation of the public policies implemented in 2016 and determine whether they have had an impact on the image of smoking and on smoking rates.

[Smoking in adolescents: prevalence, clinical manifestations, preventive measures]. / Le tabagisme des adolescents: niveaux, tendances et représentations, quels enseignements pour la prévention?

INTRODUCTION: Since the late 1990s, several French surveys have studied perceptions about and the use of tobacco and other drugs among adolescents. This enables to track trends in tobacco use at this crucial age. This article presents the main epidemiological data gathered since 2000 and also reviews older surveys in order to place recent trends in a broader perspective. STATE OF THE ART: Thus, tobacco use has been decreasing in adolescents for several years but remains at a higher level than in the adult French population or than in many other European countries. This pattern is linked with a clearer view of the dangers of tobacco in terms of addiction and related harms, compared with alcohol and cannabis. PERSPECTIVES: The results vary according to social background and level of educational attainment and echo similar trends in adult populations. CONCLUSIONS: General population surveys can provide useful data for the monitoring and the understanding of trends in tobacco use. They can also provide useful information regarding prevention for policy makers and other health professionals.

Risk factors for substances use and misuse among young people in France: What can we learn from the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale?

BACKGROUND: The prevention of addictions in young people is a challenge for Mental and Public Health policies, and requires specific risk-screening tools. Specific personality traits, as assessed using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS), could play a key role in the onset and escalation of substance use. This study aimed to examine (1) measurement invariance across age and gender (2) the effects of age and gender on associations between SURPS scores and the most frequently-consumed substances. METHODS: Analyses were based on the responses from 5069 participants (aged 14-20 years) from the 2011 ESPAD-France dataset. Substance-use outcomes were experimentation and current frequency of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use, and drunkenness. RESULTS: Our approach, consisting in analysing measurement and structural invariance and interaction terms, established the stability of (i) SURPS profiles, and (ii) relationships between these scores and substance experimentation and use over a developmental period ranging from mid-adolescence to early adulthood. Measurement invariance across genders was also confirmed despite the absence of scalar invariance for 2 items. Significant interactions between gender and SURPS factors were established, highlighting differential vulnerability, especially concerning Hopelessness and experimentation of alcohol and drunkenness, or Impulsivity and tobacco experimentation. Finally, Anxiety Sensitivity could be protective against substance use, especially for cannabis in girls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the relevance of the SURPS to assess vulnerability towards drug use, and underline the need to consider gender differences in addiction risks.