1. |
- Andersson, Filip, et al.
(author)
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Prevalence of cannabis use among young adults in Sweden comparing randomized response technique with a traditional survey
- 2023
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In: Addiction. - 0965-2140 .- 1360-0443. ; 118:9, s. 1801-1810
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Aims: The prevalence of cannabis use based on self-reports is likely to be underestimated in population surveys, especially in contexts where its use is a criminal offence. Indirect survey methods ask sensitive questions ensuring that answers cannot be identified with an individual respondent, therefore potentially resulting in more reliable estimates. We aimed to measure whether the indirect survey method ‘randomized response technique’ (RRT) increased response rate and/or increased disclosure of cannabis use among young adults compared with a traditional survey.Design: We conducted two parallel nation-wide surveys during the spring and the summer of 2021. The first survey was a traditional questionnaire-based one (focusing on substance use and gambling). The second survey applied an indirect survey method known as ‘the cross-wise model’ to questions related to cannabis use. The two surveys employed identical procedures (e.g. invitations, reminders and wording of the questions)Setting and Participants: The participants were young adults (aged 18–29 years) living in Sweden. The traditional survey had 1200 respondents (56.9% women) and the indirect survey had 2951 respondents (53.6% women).Measurements: In both surveys, cannabis use was assessed according to three time-frames: life-time use; use during the past year; and use during the past 30 days.Findings: The estimated prevalence of cannabis use was two- to threefold higher on all measures when estimated using the indirect survey method compared with the traditional survey: use during life-time (43.2 versus 27.3%); during the past year (19.2 versus 10.4%); and during the past 30 days (13.2 versus 3.7%). The discrepancy was larger among males and individuals with an education shorter than 10 years, who were unemployed, and who were born in non-European countries.Conclusions: Indirect survey methods may provide more accurate estimates than traditional surveys on prevalence of self-reported cannabis use.
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2. |
- Araghi, Marzieh, et al.
(author)
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No association between moist oral snuff (snus) use and oral cancer : pooled analysis of nine prospective observational studies
- 2021
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : Sage Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 49:8, s. 833-840
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: Worldwide, smokeless-tobacco use is a major risk factor for oral cancer. Evidence regarding the particular association between Swedish snus use and oral cancer is, however, less clear. We used pooled individual data from the Swedish Collaboration on Health Effects of Snus Use to assess the association between snus use and oral cancer.Methods: A total of 418,369 male participants from nine cohort studies were followed up for oral cancer incidence through linkage to health registers. We used shared frailty models with random effects at the study level, to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for confounding factors.Results: During 9,201,647 person-years of observation, 628 men developed oral cancer. Compared to never-snus use, ever-snus use was not associated with oral cancer (adjusted HR 0.90, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.09). There were no clear trends in risk with duration or intensity of snus use, although lower intensity use (<= 4 cans/week) was associated with a reduced risk (HR 0.65, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.94). Snus use was not associated with oral cancer among never smokers (HR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.57, 1.32).Conclusions: Swedish snus use does not appear to be implicated in the development of oral cancer in men.
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3. |
- Beeres, Dorien Tecla, et al.
(author)
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Child–adult contract for prevention of tobacco use : "as-treated" analysis of a cluster randomized controlled trial (the TOPAS study) at 3-year follow-up
- 2024
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In: Prevention Science. - : Springer Nature. - 1389-4986 .- 1573-6695. ; 25, s. 175-192
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To estimate the effect of a 3-year commitment to remain tobacco free on tobacco uptake among high school students in Sweden. The commitment is developed in the form of a contract between a child and a significant adult, constituting the core component of Tobacco-free Duo (T-Duo), a Swedish school-based tobacco prevention program. Secondary analysis of data from a cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants were 586 students in high schools assigned to the intervention arm of T-Duo. At inception, participants attended grade 7 (i.e., age 12–13). Only students who were tobacco naïve at baseline for the respective outcome and participated in all follow-ups were included. The exposure was defined as signing a 3-year contract with a significant adult, categorized as “stable contract” (3 years contract with the same contract partner), “unstable” (signed a contract sometime during follow-up but this was not sustained over time and/or with the same partner), and “no contract” at all during the intervention period. The primary outcome was having never tried cigarette smoking at the end of grade 9. Exposure and outcomes were self-reported in yearly questionnaires. Of 586 students, 321 (55%) held a stable contract, 204 (35%) an unstable contract, and 61 (10%) did not sign a contract at all. At the end of grade 9 (age 15–16), the relative risk (RR) to remain cigarette free was 1.11 (95% CI 1.00–1.22) (Number Needed to Treat = 10) among students in any type of contract compared to students that did not write a contract at all. The RRs for remaining tobacco free (secondary outcomes) ranged from 1.07 (0.98–1.16) for regular snus use to 1.16 (1.00–1.35) for any type of tobacco use. A commitment to remain tobacco free through a child–adult contract seems to exert a preventive effect on the uptake of tobacco use among Swedish adolescents over 3 school years. The current findings apply to a selected sample of both schools and students.Registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN52858080 Date: January 4, 2019, retrospectively registered.
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4. |
- Byhamre, Marja Lisa, et al.
(author)
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Swedish snus use is associated with mortality : a pooled analysis of eight prospective studies
- 2020
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In: International Journal of Epidemiology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0300-5771 .- 1464-3685. ; 49:6, s. 2041-2050
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The health consequences of the use of Swedish snus, including its relationship with mortality, have not been fully established. We investigated the relationship between snus use and all-cause and cause-specific mortality (death due to cardiovascular diseases, cancer diseases and all other reasons, respectively) in a nationwide collaborative pooling project.METHODS: We followed 169 103 never-smoking men from eight Swedish cohort studies, recruited in 1978-2010. Shared frailty models with random effects at the study level were used in order to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of mortality associated with snus use.RESULTS: Exclusive current snus users had an increased risk of all-cause mortality (aHR 1.28, 95% CI 1.20-1.35), cardiovascular mortality (aHR 1.27, 95% CI 1.15-1.41) and other cause mortality (aHR 1.37, 95% CI 1.24-1.52) compared with never-users of tobacco. The risk of cancer mortality was also increased (aHR 1.12, 95% CI 1.00-1.26). These mortality risks increased with duration of snus use, but not with weekly amount.CONCLUSIONS: Snus use among men is associated with increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, with death from other causes and possibly with increased cancer mortality.
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5. |
- Eichas, Kyle, et al.
(author)
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Measuring Dimensions of Family Interaction in Adolescence : A Multitrait–Multimethod Analysis
- 2020
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In: European Journal of Psychological Assessment. - : Hogrefe Publishing Group. - 1015-5759 .- 2151-2426. ; 36:5, s. 901-906
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study was to evaluate the convergent and discriminant validity of adolescent and parent ratings of family interaction. Adolescent and parent ratings of democratic parenting, parental warmth, and adolescent free disclosure were measured using a multitrait–multimethod confirmatory factor analytic approach. Participants included 3,959 Swedish youth in seventh grade (average age 13 years), with follow-up measurements in eighth and ninth grades. At each grade, findings provided support for trait discriminant validity and discriminant validity of methods. However, findings failed to provide support for convergent validity. Overall, the present findings suggest that measurement of family interactions should include the perspectives of both parents and adolescents because their perceptions of family interactions may represent different family interaction constructs.
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6. |
- Galanti, Maria Rosaria, et al.
(author)
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Tobacco-Free Duo Adult-Child Contract for Prevention of Tobacco Use Among Adolescents and Parents : Protocol for a Mixed-Design Evaluation
- 2020
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In: JMIR Research Protocols. - : JMIR Publications Inc.. - 1929-0748. ; 9:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Universal tobacco-prevention programs targeting youths usually involve significant adults, who are assumed to be important social influences. Commitment not to use tobacco, or to quit use, as a formal contract between an adolescent and a significant adult is a preventive model that has not been widely practiced or explored and has been formally evaluated even less. In this paper, we present the rationale and protocol for the evaluation of the Swedish Tobacco-free Duo program, a multicomponent school-based program the core of which rests on a formal agreement between an adolescent and an adult. The adolescent's commitment mainly concerns avoiding the onset of any tobacco use while the adult commits to support the adolescent in staying tobacco free, being a role model by not using tobacco themselves.OBJECTIVE: To assess (1) whether Tobacco-free Duo is superior to an education-only program in preventing smoking onset among adolescents and promoting cessation among their parents, (2) whether exposure to core components (adult-child agreement) entails more positive effects than exposure to other components, (3) the impact of the program on whole school tobacco use, (4) potential negative side effects, and (5) school-level factors related to fidelity of the program's implementation.METHODS: A mixed-design approach was developed. First, a cluster randomized controlled trial was designed with schools randomly assigned to either the comprehensive multicomponent program or its educational component only. Primary outcome at the adolescent level was identified as not having tried tobacco during the 3-year junior high school compulsory grades (12-15 years of age). An intention-to-treat cohort-wise approach and an as-treated approach complemented with a whole school repeated cross-sectional approach was devised as analytical methods of the trial data. Second, an observational study was added in order to compare smoking incidence in the schools participating in the experiment with that of a convenience sample of schools that were not part of the experimental study. Diverse secondary outcomes at both adolescent and adult levels were also included.RESULTS: The study was approved by the Umeå Regional Ethics Review Board (registration number 2017/255-31) in 2017. Recruitment of schools started in fall 2017 and continued until June 2018. In total, 43 schools were recruited to the experimental study, and 16 schools were recruited to the observational study. Data collection started in the fall 2018, is ongoing, and is planned to be finished in spring 2021.CONCLUSIONS: Methodological, ethical, and practical implications of the evaluation protocol were discussed, especially the advantage of combining several sources of data, to triangulate the study questions. The results of these studies will help revise the agenda of this program as well as those of similar programs.TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 52858080; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN52858080.INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/21100.
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7. |
- Gebreslassie, Mihretab, et al.
(author)
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Should Nicotine Replacement Therapy be Provided Free of Charge? : A Cost-Utility Analysis in Sweden
- 2023
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In: Nicotine & tobacco research. - : Oxford University Press. - 1462-2203 .- 1469-994X. ; 25:11, s. 1762-1769
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Introduction Treatment with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) during an attempt to quit smoking increases the likelihood of success by about 55%. However, out-of-pocket payment for NRT can hinder its use. Aims and Methods This study aims therefore to assess the cost-effectiveness of subsidizing NRT in Sweden. A homogeneous cohort-based Markov model was used to assess the lifetime costs and effects of subsidized NRT from a payer and societal perspective. Data to populate the model were retrieved from the literature, and selected parameters were varied in deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to assess robustness of model outputs. Costs are presented in USD, year 2021. Results A 12-week treatment with NRT was estimated to cost USD 632 (474-790) per person. From a societal perspective, subsidized NRT was a cost-saving alternative in 98.5% of the simulations. NRT is cost-saving across all ages, but the health and economic gains are somewhat larger among younger smokers from a societal perspective. When a payer perspective was used, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was estimated at 14 480 (11 721-18 515) USD per QALY which was cost-effective at a willingness to pay of 50 000 USD per QALY in 100 % of the simulations. Results were robust with realistic changes in the inputs during scenario and sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Subsidizing NRT is potentially a cost-saving smoking cessation strategy from a societal perspective and cost-effective from a payer perspective. Implications This study found that subsidizing NRT is potentially a cost-saving smoking cessation policy alternative compared to current practice from a societal perspective. From a healthcare payer perspective, subsidizing NRT is estimated to cost USD 14 480 to gain an extra QALY. NRT is cost-saving across all ages, but the health and economic gains are somewhat larger among younger smokers from a societal perspective. Moreover, subsidizing NRT removes the financial barriers that are mostly faced by socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers which might reduce health inequalities. Thus, future economic evaluations should further investigate the health inequality impacts with methods that are more suitable for this.
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8. |
- Hultin, Hanna, et al.
(author)
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The Importance of Pedagogical and Social School Climate to Bullying : A Cross‐Sectional Multilevel Study of 94 Swedish Schools
- 2021
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In: Journal of School Health. - : Wiley. - 0022-4391 .- 1746-1561. ; 91:2, s. 111-124
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Bullying is a public health issue with long‐term effects for victims. This study investigated if there was an association between pedagogical and social school climate and student‐reported bullying victimization, which dimensions of pedagogical and social school climate were associated with bullying, and if these associations were modified by individual‐level social factors.METHODS: The study had a cross‐sectional multilevel design with individual‐level data on bullying from 3311 students nested in 94 schools over 3 consecutive school years. School climate was measured with student and teacher questionnaires, aggregated at the school level. The association between school climate and bullying victimization was estimated with multilevel mixed‐model logistic regression.RESULTS: In schools with the most favorable school climate, fewer students reported being bullied. This was especially evident when school climate was measured with the student instrument. Students in schools with favorable climate had an adjusted odds ratio of bullying of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.55‐1.00) compared to students in schools with the worst climate. Results from the teacher instrument were in the same direction, but less consistent.CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in school climate has the potential to affect students both academically, and socially, as well as decrease the prevalence of bullying.
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9. |
- Karlberg, Martin, 1969-, et al.
(author)
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The Importance of School Pedagogical and Social Climate to Students’ Unauthorized Absenteeism – a Multilevel Study of 101 Swedish Schools
- 2022
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0031-3831 .- 1470-1170. ; 66:1, s. 88-104
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While individual and family factors behind students’ school absenteeism are well-researched, fewer studies have addressed school climate factors. This study investigated the association between school climate in Swedish schools and students’ absenteeism. A multi-informant survey of school climate was conducted in 101 schools and analysed in relation to the history of absenteeism of 2770 students attending those schools in the 7th grade at inception, with follow-up until completion of the compulsory school (9th grade). Data on absenteeism was extracted from schools’ registers. Student (but not teacher) positive ratings of school climate were associated with lower absenteeism between the age of 13 and the age of 16. The associations between student rated school climate and absenteeism appeared stronger among students with highly educated parents.
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10. |
- Lindstrand, Sofia, et al.
(author)
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Compositional characteristics of neighbourhoods and of schools as correlates of youths mental health: A cross-sectional study among Swedish adolescents
- 2022
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 50:8, s. 1081-1088
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: The study aimed to analyse the association between neighbourhood- and school-level socio-demographic factors and self-reported mental health among adolescents. Methods: The study population consisted of 3959 adolescents in southern and central Sweden (the KUPOL study), surveyed in the seventh grade (13 years old) and again in the ninth grade (15 years old). Cross-sectional associations were studied between socio-demographic indicators at neighbourhood level (proportion of adults with high education, without employment, of foreign-born residents) and at school level (proportion of students with at least one parent with high education, of students with a foreign background, mean qualification points in ninth grade) and mental health problems. These were assessed through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We derived odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) of scale scores above the threshold using multilevel logistic regression models. Results: After adjustment for individual- and family-level socio-demographic factors, there was an indication of higher OR of mental health problems with increasing proportions of foreign-born and residents without employment, especially among girls and in public schools. Stronger associations in the expected direction were found with the internalising subscale. Socio-demographic factors at the school level were not associated with adolescents mental health, except in private schools, where increasing proportions of students with highly educated parents were significantly associated with SDQ scores under the threshold (OR=0.91; 95% CI 0.85-0.97). Conclusions: The results indicate that equal living conditions may represent important cues to improve the mental health of adolescents. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine any causality.
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