Is medicine use in adolescence risk behavior? Cross-sectional survey of school-aged children from 11 to 15.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between smoking, drunkenness, and medicine use for headache, stomachache, difficulties in getting to sleep, and nervousness in a representative sample of 11- to 15-year-old school-aged children.


METHODS



METHODS
Cross-sectional school-based survey.


METHODS
A random sample of schools in Denmark in 2002.


METHODS
All students in the fifth, seventh and ninth grades in these schools, n = 4824.


METHODS
Self-reported medicine use for headache, stomachache, difficulties in getting to sleep, and nervousness within the last month; self-reported experience of drunkenness; self-reported smoking.


RESULTS
There was a strong and graded association between drunkenness and medicine use, even in models adjusted for the symptom for which the medicine was taken. There was a similar association between medicine use and smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that medicine use can be regarded as part of a cluster of risk behaviors among young people.
Andersen
Anette
A
Department of Social Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Institute of Public Health, Copenhagen, Denmark. anette.andersen@socmed.ku.dk
Holstein
Bjørn E
BE
Hansen
Ebba Holme
EH
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*