Sports, Education and Consumption of Substances in Adolescents (SESA)

Prospective Analysis of the Factors Associated With Substance Use and Misuse in Adolescents

Adolescent substance abuse (SA), which includes the consumption of alcohol, cigarette smoking, the consumption of drugs and other behaviors, is a significant public-health issue in the world today. Recent data showed that prevalence of SA among adolescents in Croatia and surrounding countries (i.e. former Yugoslav republics) is alarming and needs serious intervention. It is hypothesized that participation in physical-exercise-and-sport (PE&S) will reduce the tendency of young people to abuse substances. However, the literature to date has not consistently validated the perception PE&S factors are factors which could buffer SA among children and adolescents. One of the probable reasons for evident inconsistencies on findings about relationship between PE&S and SA is a cross-sectional nature of studies done so far. Therefore, the main rationale (i.e. problem) of this study is lack of current knowledge about influence of the PE&S on SA among adolescents. The main objective of this study is to prospectively investigate the influence of PE&S on SA among adolescents aged 17 to 18 years old. Aims of the project are: (1) to define prevalence and trends of SA among adolescents aged 17 to 18 years old; (2) to define prevalence and trends of PE&S participation; (3) to establish interrelationships which exist between socio-demographic, psychological, educational-factors, and PE&S (predictors); (4) to identify multivariate and univariate associations between: socio-demographic and SA, psychological factors and SA, PE&S and SA, educational - scholastic factors and SA.Expected results of the project are: (1) definition of the prevalence of SA among adolescents; (2) definition of the adolescents' participation in PE&S; (3) identification and interpretation relationships which exist between and within studied predictors of SA (educational factors, socio-demographic factors, PE&S, psychological factors); (4) identification of the influence of studied predictors on SA.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Alcohol Drinking; Cigarette Smoking
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Regular scholastic system; Behavioral: Regular scholastic system and organized sports

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 1000

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years to 18 years (Child, Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

The sample will comprise approximately 1,000 participants (50% males). At the beginning of the study, the participants will be attending the 3rd year (grade) of high school, and therefore practically all subjects will be 17 years of age at the moment the study starts (+/- 6 months). Participants will be randomly selected from 10 to 15 high schools which offer a 4-year high school education. Because of the prospective study design and consequent need to repeatedly test the same participants, only those schools where the investigators already have personal and professional contacts with the school authorities will be used as possible test environments.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children involved in regular scholastic system

Exclusion Criteria:

• No

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

4

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Males nonathletes; Boys non-involved in organized sport and exercising	Behavioral: Regular scholastic system; The group will consist of children who are regularly in school, but not being involved in organized sport activities
Females nonathletes; Girls non-involved in organized sport and exercising	Behavioral: Regular scholastic system; The group will consist of children who are regularly in school, but not being involved in organized sport activities
Males athletes; Athletic boys (involved in sports)	Behavioral: Regular scholastic system and organized sports; This group will consist of children involved in regular school system who at the same time participate in organized sport in sport-clubs
Females athletes; Athletic girls (involved in sports)	Behavioral: Regular scholastic system and organized sports; This group will consist of children involved in regular school system who at the same time participate in organized sport in sport-clubs

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Exact number of participants who smoke cigarettes as assessed by QSU questionnaire	QSU - Questionnaire of Substance Use is validated questionnaire where participants are asked on their consumption of substances, including cigarette smoking	2 years
Exact number of participants involved in harmful alcohol drinking as assessed by AUDIT questionnaire	AUDIT - Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test is a common and valid questionnaire where subjects are tested on alcohol drinking habits	2 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Exact number of participants who failed educationally as assessed by grade-point average	Grade-point-average is one of the scholastic-achievement variables.	2 years
Exact number of participants who failed educationally as assessed by behavioral grade	Behavioral-grade is one of the scholastic-achievement variables.	2 years

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital of Split
• Collaborators: University of Ljubljana

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Zenic N, Ostojic L, Sisic N, Pojskic H, Peric M, Uljevic O, Sekulic D. Examination of the community-specific prevalence of and factors associated with substance use and misuse among Rural and Urban adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis in Bosnia and Herzegovina. BMJ Open. 2015 Nov 6;5(11):e009446. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009446.
• Zenic N, Terzic A, Rodek J, Spasic M, Sekulic D. Gender-Specific Analyses of the Prevalence and Factors Associated with Substance Use and Misuse among Bosniak Adolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Jun 10;12(6):6626-40. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120606626.
• Idrizovic K, Zenic N, Tahirajl E, Rausavljevic N, Sekulic D. CIGARETTE SMOKING AMONG 17-18 YEAR OLD ADOLESCENTS - PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATION WITH SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC, FAMILIAL, SPORT, AND SCHOLASTIC. FACTORS. Med Pr. 2015;66(2):153-63. doi: 10.13075/mp.5893.00104.
• Sekulic D, Ostojic M, Ostojic Z, Hajdarevic B, Ostojic L. Substance abuse prevalence and its relation to scholastic achievement and sport factors: an analysis among adolescents of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in Bosnia and Herzegovina. BMC Public Health. 2012 Apr 5;12:274. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-274.
• Modric T, Zenic N, Sekulic D. Substance use and misuse among 17- to 18-year-old Croatian adolescents: correlation with scholastic variables and sport factors. Subst Use Misuse. 2011;46(10):1328-34. doi: 10.3109/10826084.2011.579677. Epub 2011 May 25.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Anticipated): June 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 2, 2015
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2015
• First Posted (Estimate): December 14, 2015

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 14, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 11, 2015
• Last Verified: December 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Drinking Behavior; Alcohol Drinking
• Other Study ID Numbers: 01111705/2015

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No