[Motivations for alcohol consumption in schooled adolescents: analysis of discussion groups]. / Motivaciones para el consumo de alcohol en adolescentes escolarizados: análisis de grupos de discusión.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the motivations of adolescents for alcohol consumption. DESIGN: Qualitative methodology with discussion groups. PARTICIPANTS AND CONTEXT: 131 adolescents (15-17 years old) enrolled in nine schools in Tarragona (Spain). METHOD: Systematic coding strategy, adapted to focus groups. Educational centers were selected through a stratified purposive sampling by educational levels (segmentation criterion) and ownership of the center (public or private). Participants within the educational levels were randomly selected for the groups. Content analysis was conducted using an open and flexible coding strategy. RESULTS: Motivations for alcohol consumption were identified, revolving around six fundamental dimensions: a) seeking fun and new sensations, b) alleviating discomfort, c) consumption due to social contagion and group pressure, d) consumption as a rite of passage into adulthood, e) environmental availability of alcohol, and f) low perception of risk. This motivation varied according to the adolescent's gender. In girls, drinking behavior appeared related to overcoming negative emotional states, while for boys, belonging to the peer group took precedence: drinking reinforces hegemonic masculinity and ensures complicity among peers. Adolescents considered that the information they receive from educational centers is sufficient, but it does not motivate change. CONCLUSIONS: Public health strategies focused on preventing alcohol consumption in adolescents should incorporate their motivations to achieve greater efficiency, paying due attention to sex/gender variables.

Compulsive Internet and Prevalence Substance Use among Spanish Adolescents.

This paper analyses compulsive Internet use among Spanish adolescents as measured by the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) of the ESTUDES 2016 survey (national survey on drug use in secondary schools), which was recently added to the statistical programme of the Spanish National Plan on Drugs. We examined two subsamples of Spanish adolescents (those who suffer from compulsive Internet use and those who do not) while taking into account gender and age. Our general hypothesis was that adolescents who suffer from compulsive Internet use have a greater prevalence of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, sedative, and new substance consumption as well as a greater prevalence of modes of consumption such as getting drunk, drinking with friends in public places (botellón), and binge drinking. While our results confirm these assumptions, they also suggest that gender and age play an ambivalent role in these associations.

Substance Use among Spanish Adolescents: The Information Paradox.

This aim of this paper is to determine the relationship between the consumption of tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol (including drunkenness and binge drinking consumption patterns) in the previous 30 days by Spanish adolescents and the information that is available to adolescents on drug consumption. This cross-sectional study employed data from the Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education in Spain (ESTUDES 2016), which was conducted on students aged 14 to 18 (n = 35,369). Contingency tables, mean comparison tests, and logistic regression analyses were conducted and prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained. The results show that the probability that an adolescent will smoke tobacco is associated with whether their mother and/or father smoke (PR: 1.30), whether some of their friends smoke (PR: 14.23), whether the majority of their friends smoke (PR: 94.05) and how well informed they perceive themselves to be (PR: 1.30). Cannabis use is mainly associated with whether most of their friends also use cannabis (PR: 93.05) and whether they are sufficiently informed regarding this consumption (PR: 1.59). Alcohol consumption is associated with whether their mothers drink regularly (PR: 1.21), whether most of their friends drink (PR: 37.29), and whether they are well informed (PR: 1.28). Getting drunk and binge drinking are associated with whether their friends have these behaviors (PR: 44.81 and 7.36, respectively) and whether they are sufficiently informed (PR: 1.23 for both behaviors). In conclusion, the consumption of these substances is more frequent among Spanish adolescents who believe that they are better informed and whose friends have similar patterns of consumption.

[Impact on success rates among drugdependent men and women treated in separate therapeutic groups.] / Impacto en el éxito terapéutico de hombres y mujeres drogodependientes en grupos separados.

OBJECTIVE: The incorporation of gender variable in drug addiction studies provides information about the presence of differences in the therapeutic success rates between men and women. Is therefore essential to carry out studies to analyse the efficacy of differentiated treatments to improve their success. The objective of this study is to observe differences in success rates among women and men undergoing therapy for drug dependence at an addiction centre during two different periods, before 2005, in which they are treated together and after 2005, in which they are treated in separate groups. METHODS: The method was as follows: profiling of the individuals in treatment, analysis of the relationship between successful therapy and the independent variables, T-tests of independent samples and, finally, a logistic regression analysis of the period after 2005 when women and men were separated. RESULTS: Improved success rates were observed among women after 2005 compared with the previous period (Odds of success in women before 2005=2,00; after 2005=7,08). Success rates among men did not change significantly (Odds of success in men before 2005=2,78; after 2005=2,75). Women's success rates were higher than men's (24,4 times more probable on average) for all types of substance abuse and increased for shorter types of treatment, whereas success rates with longer treatments tended to be similar for both men and women (20,5 more likely). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows improved success rates for drug-dependent women when they are treated separately from men, once the specific problems of drug addiction in women are taken into account.

OBJETIVO: La incorporación de la variable sexo en los estudios sobre drogodependencia ofrece información sobre la existencia de diferencias en el éxito terapéutico entre hombres y mujeres, advirtiéndose la necesidad de realizar estudios que analicen la eficacia de los tratamientos diferenciados para la mejora del éxito de los mismos. El objetivo de este estudio fue observar las diferencias en el éxito terapéutico en mujeres y hombres drogodependientes de un centro en dos períodos diferentes: antes de 2005, cuando son tratados conjuntamente; y a partir de 2005, cuando son tratados separadamente. METODOS: La secuencia de análisis fue la siguiente: elaboración de un perfil de las personas tratadas, análisis de asociación entre éxito terapéutico y variables independientes, realización de pruebas T para muestras independientes y, finalmente, un análisis de regresión logística para el período posterior a 2005 en el que se separan mujeres y hombres. RESULTADOS: Se observaron mejoras del éxito en mujeres a partir de 2005 respecto al éxito en las mismas en el período anterior (Odds de éxito en mujeres antes 2005=2,00; después de 2005=7,08). Las probabilidades de éxito en los hombres no se modificaron sustancialmente (Odds de éxito en hombres antes 2005=2,78; después de 2005=2,75). El éxito en las mujeres respecto al de los hombres fue mayor (24,4 veces más probable de media), independientemente de la sustancia consumida, en los tratamientos más cortos de tiempo, mientras que los tratamientos más largos tendieron a igualar el éxito en hombres y mujeres (20,5 más probable). CONCLUSIONES: El estudio muestra mejoras del éxito en mujeres drogodependientes al presentarse tratamientos separados, una vez atendidas las problemáticas específicas de la drogadicción en las mujeres.

Impacto en el éxito terapéutico de hombres y mujeres drogodependientes en grupos separados / Impact on success rates among drugdependent men and women treated in separate therapeutic groups

OBJETIVO: La incorporación de la variable sexo en los estudios sobre drogodependencia ofrece información sobre la existencia de diferencias en el éxito terapéutico entre hombres y mujeres, advirtiéndose la necesidad de realizar estudios que analicen la eficacia de los tratamientos diferenciados para la mejora del éxito de los mismos. El objetivo de este estudio fue observar las diferencias en el éxito terapéutico en mujeres y hombres drogodependientes de un centro en dos períodos diferentes: antes de 2005, cuando son tratados conjuntamente; y a partir de 2005, cuando son tratados separadamente. MÉTODOS: La secuencia de análisis fue la siguiente: elaboración de un perfil de las personas tratadas, análisis de asociación entre éxito terapéutico y variables independientes, realización de pruebas T para muestras independientes y, finalmente, un análisis de regresión logística para el período posterior a 2005 en el que se separan mujeres y hombres. RESULTADOS: Se observaron mejoras del éxito en mujeres a partir de 2005 respecto al éxito en las mismas en el período anterior (Odds de éxito en mujeres antes 2005=2,00; después de 2005=7,08). Las probabilidades de éxito en los hombres no se modificaron sustancialmente (Odds de éxito en hombres antes 2005=2,78; después de 2005=2,75). El éxito en las mujeres respecto al de los hombres fue mayor (24,4 veces más probable de media), independientemente de la sustancia consumida, en los tratamientos más cortos de tiempo, mientras que los tratamientos más largos tendieron a igualar el éxito en hombres y mujeres (20,5 más probable). CONCLUSIONES: El estudio muestra mejoras del éxito en mujeres drogodependientes al presentarse tratamientos separados, una vez atendidas las problemáticas específicas de la drogadicción en las mujeres

OBJECTIVE: The incorporation of gender variable in drug addiction studies provides information about the presence of differences in the therapeutic success rates between men and women. Is therefore essential to carry out studies to analyse the efficacy of differentiated treatments to improve their success. The objective of this study is to observe differences in success rates among women and men undergoing therapy for drug dependence at an addiction centre during two different periods, before 2005, in which they are treated together and after 2005, in which they are treated in separate groups. METHODS: The method was as follows: profiling of the individuals in treatment, analysis of the relationship between successful therapy and the independent variables, T-tests of independent samples and, finally, a logistic regression analysis of the period after 2005 when women and men were separated. RESULTS: Improved success rates were observed among women after 2005 compared with the previous period (Odds of success in women before 2005=2,00; after 2005=7,08). Success rates among men did not change significantly (Odds of success in men before 2005=2,78; after 2005=2,75). Women's success rates were higher than men's (24,4 times more probable on average) for all types of substance abuse and increased for shorter types of treatment, whereas success rates with longer treatments tended to be similar for both men and women (20,5 more likely). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows improved success rates for drug-dependent women when they are treated separately from men, once the specific problems of drug addiction in women are taken into account

Risk of Exclusion in People with Disabilities in Spain: Determinants of Health and Poverty.

In this paper, we analyze data from the 2012 Encuesta de Integración Social y Salud (Social Integration and Health Survey) of the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (Spanish National Institute of Statistics) to obtain profiles created by combining disability, poverty and social exclusion. We hypothesize that the probability that people will experience social exclusion increases if they have a disability, chronic illness or limitation in conducting everyday activities, and that this probability is greater for women than for men. To conduct our analysis, we constructed a social exclusion model based on a series of social determinants that acts as a dependent variable. In this context, social exclusion is understood to go beyond the concept of financial poverty. We performed bivariate analyses, in which we calculated the Odds Ratios (OR) for certain variables considered to be predictors of social exclusion. We also performed a means comparison test and an ANOVA test to observe differences between individuals with recognized disability and those without. Finally, we conducted logistic regression analysis to determine which vulnerability profiles are most likely to experience a situation of social exclusion. We also discuss the limitations of our study, and suggest areas in, which the relationships between health, social exclusion and disability can be further investigated.