Showing papers by "Alan J. Flisher published in 2014"
TL;DR: Significant associations were found between substance use and mood and anxiety disorders, with a particularly strong relationship between cannabis use and mental disorder.
Abstract: Introduction: Although substance use is commonly associated with mental disorders, limited data on this association are available from low and middle income countries such as South Africa. The aims of the study were i) to determine patterns of substance use in young adults, ii) to identify trends of common psychiatric disorders in relation to use of specific substances, and iii) to determine whether specific psychiatric disorders were as - sociated with use of specific substances in the South African population. Methods: Data were drawn from the South African Stress and Health (SASH) study, a nationally-representative, cross-sectional survey of South African households that forms part of a World Health Organisation (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) initiative to standardise information on the global burden of mental illness and its correlates. Data from a subset (n=1766; aged 18 to 30 years) of the SASH sample of 4351 individuals were analysed. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3 (CIDI 3.0) was used to elicit basic demographic details and information regard- ing mental illness and substance use. Multiple regression analyses, adjusted for age and gender, were used to identify associations between mental disorders and substance use. Results: Significant associations were found between substance use and mood and anxiety disorders, with a particularly strong relationship between cannabis use and mental disorder. Conclusion: The results are consistent with those from previous studies, and reinforce the argument that comorbid substance use and mental disorders constitute a major public health burden.
54 citations
TL;DR: Regression analyses showed a marginally significant association between specific phobia and first use of cannabis, but indicated no statistically significant associations between psychopathology and substance use.
Abstract: Introduction
Evidence suggests that comorbid psychopathology can negatively affect treatment outcomes in substance users. In South Africa, limited information exists regarding the prevalence, nature and role of psychiatric comorbidity in substance users. This study examined psychiatric comorbidity and its association with specific substance use, and young adult substance users in treatment for substance use.
20 citations
TL;DR: This paper investigated contextual influences on condom use by South African university students and found that condom use was transient and often unrelated to disease prevention, due to closer perceived intimacy, gender dynamics, and social stigma against proposing use of condoms in a presumably committed relationship.
Abstract: This study aimed to investigate contextual influences on condom use by South African university students. Twenty one-to-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted with male and female South African undergraduates. The data were thematically analysed. Results revealed that condom use was transient and often unrelated to disease prevention. Condom use was impeded by closer perceived intimacy, gender dynamics, and social stigma against proposing use of condoms in a presumably committed relationship. Public health policies regarding condom, pill and injection pricing / promotion, and religious toleration also hampered condom use, by encouraging a preference over hormonal contraception or proscribing contraceptive measures altogether. The results provide a basis for considering the impact of immediate and wider social contexts on condom use, as proposed by socio-ecological models of HIV risk behaviour.
9 citations