Harmful drinking is associated with mental health conditions and risk behaviours in Australian young people

Factors associated with alcohol use in adolescents were investigated in new research published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, with a focus on analysing the comorbidities between single-occasion harmful-drinking episodes with mental health issues and risk behaviours.
The study used data from the Young Minds Matter survey, which is designed to inform on the prevalence of the seven most common mental health disorders of children and adolescents. Logistic regression modelling was used to assess the odds of harmful drinking behaviour in young people aged 13-17 years in Australia.
The study found a strong association between single-occasion harmful drinking and mental health issues, which remained after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Young people with severe mental health issues within the past year were four times more likely to have been drinking at harmful levels in the past 30 days.
The study authors conclude that alcohol use can have adverse health effects among children and adolescents. Research has found a bidirectional association between alcohol use and mental health conditions where the presence of one issue almost doubles the risk of having the other issue. The researchers say that the comorbidity between these issues have implications for public health in that it suggests the need for strategies to integrate policies addressing mental health and alcohol use disorders in young people.
Source: Lima, F., Sims, S. and O’Donnell, M. (2020), Harmful drinking is associated with mental health conditions and other risk behaviours in Australian young people. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 44: 201-207.