Substance abuse among Greenlandic school children

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Substance use among adolescents is a significant public health concern.
• Understanding the prevalence and patterns of substance use in diverse populations is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Greenland presents a unique socio-cultural context for studying adolescent substance use patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, hashish/marihuana, and sniffing substance use among Greenlandic and Danish school children.
• To identify demographic factors, such as age, sex, and social background, associated with substance use.
• To explore patterns of use, including frequency and type of substances consumed.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous questionnaire survey administered to 1934 school children aged 12-19 in Greenlandic towns and settlements.
• Participants included 1557 Greenlandic and 377 Danish students (grades 7-11).
• Data collected on age, sex, social background, and use of tobacco, alcohol, hashish/marihuana, and sniffing substances.

Main Results:

• Higher smoking rates were observed in Greenlandic boys (45%) and girls (61%) compared to Danish boys (26%) and girls (39%).
• Approximately 75% of 15-19 year olds were smokers, with 71% smoking over three cigarettes daily.
• Alcohol use was reported by 87% of Danish and 63% of Greenlandic students; Greenlandic students preferred beer, while Danish students preferred wine.
• Sniffing was tried by 25% of Greenlandic students versus 6% of Danish students, primarily lighter-gas or glue.
• 25% of Greenlandic students had tried hashish, increasing to 50% in the 16-17 age group.
• Cigarette smokers were more likely to use other substances.

Conclusions:

• Adolescent substance use, particularly smoking and alcohol consumption, is a significant issue in Greenland.
• Greenlandic youth demonstrate higher prevalence rates for most surveyed substances compared to Danish youth.
• Intervention strategies should consider the specific patterns and substances prevalent in the Greenlandic adolescent population.