Public Health Approach to Substance use in youth

Question 1

What is problematic substance use?

Answer 1

The use of any psychoactive substance in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that is harmful to an individual, their family/friends or society.

Question 2

What does upstream mean?

Answer 2

the underlying determinants of health; “root causes”

Question 3

What is the public health approach?

Answer 3

Strong health promotion, prevention and harm reduction components
Evidence informed
Seeks to reduce social and health inequities
Addresses the underlying determinants of health and wellbeing

Question 4

How many Canadians 15 years or older experience a substance abuse disorder in their lifetime?

Answer 4

1 in 5, however there is probably more than this due to underestimating or underreporting

Question 5

Approximately how many Canadians have dies from apparent opioid related over January 2016?

Answer 5

8000+

Question 6

What age group is cannabis particularly used in?

Answer 6

Among youth and adults 15-24

Question 7

Which substance is most commonly used?

Answer 7

Alcohol, largest contributor to social and health harms

Question 8

What is the estimated cost of substance use in Canada 2014?

Answer 8

38.4$ Billion

Question 9

What are wicked problems?

Answer 9

Something that is hard to solve, due to numerous causes and no one solution. Often a symptom of a higher level (more wicked) problem, fuzziness

Question 10

What is an example of a risk factor?

Answer 10

Pervasive advertising of alcohol products in public spaces

Question 11

What is an example of a protective factor?

Answer 11

restrictions on tobacco packaging

Question 12

What is a determinant

Answer 12

marketing practices

Question 13

What are some highlights of the conceptual framework?

Answer 13

1) There are several diverse determinants of problematic substance use
2) The relationships between these determinants are highly complex and dynamic
3) These determinants reflect various opportunities for policy and program intervention

Question 14

Explain 1)There are several diverse determinants of problematic substance use

Answer 14

Organized by levels of socioecological model
Many sections of the “stream” represented
Reflect social determinants of health
Not a comprehensive list

Question 15

Explain 2)The relationships between these determinants are highly complex and dynamic

Answer 15

Interconnected and an individual trait or condition does not necessarily lead to a PSU

Question 16

Explain 3)These determinants reflect various opportunities for policy and program intervention

Answer 16

• Several complementary initiatives within various systems
• Many of these levers exist outside of health sector
• Impacts beyond substance use indicators

Question 17

What are the 4 main categories of the conceptual framework?

Answer 17

Societal/structural (marketing practices and social norms)
Community (school connectedness and environment)
interpersonal (Early childhood development, abuse)
individual (Genetics, resilience)

Question 18

What are the future directions?

Answer 18

Canadian drugs and substances strategy
(prevention, treatment, harm reduction, enforcement)
Western University,: its time canada’s strategy to prevent and address gender based violence
National housing strategy (Canada’s first poverty reduction strategy)

Question 19

What were the take away messages?

Answer 19

• Problematic substance use is a pressing social and public health issue
• Numerous pathways can lead to problematic substance use
• There is a need to address upstream determinants of problematic substance use through prevention and health promotion efforts
• Meaningful engagement of numerous sectors and collaborative approaches at the systems-level are needed