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Morbidity among Adolescent Hypnotic Drug Users in Norway: An Observational Population-Based Study
Mohammad Nouri Sharikabad1, Svetlana Skurtveit2, Hilchen Thode Sommerschild3
1Department of Drug Statistics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway.
Journal of Clinical Medicine
|February 24, 2024
Summary
Adolescent hypnotic drug use is rising, with most young users experiencing mental health conditions, not sleep disorders. This trend highlights increased psychiatric comorbidity in this population.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pharmacology
- Adolescent Psychiatry
- Public Health
Background:
- Previous research indicated a rise in hypnotic drug use among young Scandinavians from 2012-2018.
- Adolescent hypnotic drug use warrants further investigation due to potential underlying health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate psychiatric and somatic morbidity in adolescent hypnotic drug users.
- To analyze trends in hypnotic drug use and associated diagnoses in Norwegian adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Cohort study of 13-17-year-old individuals in Norway (2008-2018).
- Utilized prescription data, specialist healthcare diagnoses, and primary healthcare sleep disorder diagnoses.
- Defined hypnotic drugs as alimemazine and ATC group N05C (excluding midazolam).
Main Results:
- In 2017, incident hypnotic drug use was 16.5/1000 girls and 10.7/1000 boys.
- Most new users (77-82%) were referred to secondary care with mental and behavioral disorders (46-52%) as primary diagnoses.
- Only 3.2% received a specific sleep disorder diagnosis; common mental health issues included neurotic stress-related disorders and behavioral/emotional disorders.
Conclusions:
- Increasing adolescent hypnotic drug use is linked to a higher burden of psychiatric disorders, not primarily sleep disorders.
- Initiation of hypnotic drugs in adolescents often occurs in those with pre-existing mental health conditions.
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