Christine Hassler

Bio: Christine Hassler is an academic researcher from French Institute of Health and Medical Research. The author has contributed to research in topics: Cannabis & Poison control. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 24 publications receiving 883 citations. Previous affiliations of Christine Hassler include Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital & Paris Descartes University.

Perceived parenting styles and tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use among french adolescents: Gender and family structure differentials

Abstract: Aims: To assess associations between parental control or parental emotional support and current tobacco, alcohol or cannabis use among 12-18-year-old students, according to gender and family structure (intact family, reconstituted family, single-parent family). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a national representative sample in France (2003) of 6-12th grade students (N = 16 532), as a part of the ESPAD study (European Study Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). The self-administered questionnaire included questions on last 30 days' consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis as well as on socio-demographic characteristics, school characteristics, and some simple questions on parental control and parental emotional support. Logistic modelling was carried out and (adjusted Odds Ratio) Ora calculated, adjusted for age, parental educational and characteristics of the school. Results: A negative relationship exists between parental control and substance use, but this relationship is more marked for tobacco (OR a between 1.8 and 5.6 according to level of control, family status and gender) and cannabis (OR between 1.5 and 6.4) than for alcohol (OR a between 1.0 and 2.7). Parental control is more markedly related to substance use in girls than in boys. These tendencies were observed for intact families as well as for single-parent families or reconstituted families. Parental control has a greater impact than emotional support. Among girls, emotional support has a greater impact than among boys. Conclusions: There is a gradient relationship between parental control and current consumption, especially among girls. Thus, there may be a need for parental control, whatever the family structure.

Suicidal behaviors in depressed adolescents: role of perceived relationships in the family.

Abstract: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults in Europe. Reducing suicides is therefore a key public health target. Previous studies have shown associations between suicidal behaviors, depression and family factors. To assess the role of family factors in depression and suicidality in a large community-based sample of adolescents and to explore specific contributions (e.g. mother vs. father; conflict vs. no conflict; separation vs. no separation) taking into account other risk factors. A cross-sectional sample of adolescents aged 17 years was recruited in 2008. 36,757 French adolescents (18,593 girls and 18,164 boys) completed a questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, drug use, family variables, suicidal ideations and attempts. Current depression was assessed with the Adolescent Depression Rating Scale (ADRS). Adolescents were divided into 4 groups according to suicide risk severity (grade 1 = depressed without suicidal ideation and without suicide attempts, grade 2 = depressed with suicidal ideations and grade 3 = depressed with suicide attempts; grade 0 = control group). Multivariate regressions were applied to assess the Odds Ratio of potential risk factors comparing grade 1, 2 or 3 risk with grade 0. 7.5% of adolescents (10.4% among girls vs. 4.5% among boys) had ADRS scores compatible with depression; 16.2% reported suicidal ideations in the past 12 months and 8.2% reported lifetime suicide attempts. Repeating a year in school was significantly associated to severity grade of suicide risk (1 and 3), as well as all substance use, tobacco use (severity grades 2 and 3) and marijuana use (severity grade 3), for girls and boys. After adjustment, negative relationships with either or both parents, and parents living together but with a negative relationship were significantly associated with suicide risk and/or depression in both genders (all risk grades), and Odds Ratios increased according to risk severity grade. Family discord and negative relationship with parents were associated with an increased suicide risk in depressed adolescents. So it appears essential to take intrafamilial relationships into account in depressed adolescents to prevent suicidal behaviours.

Early substance use initiation and suicide ideation and attempts among students in France and the United States.

Abstract: In response to recent research documenting a link between early substance use and suicidal behaviors among youth, the current study sought to examine the associations between ages of substance use initiation and suicidal behavior among students in France and the USA. Cross-sectional logistic regression analyses based on the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) survey (France; n = 13,187) and the 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) (United States; n = 15,136) assessed associations between early substance use initiation (i.e., alcohol, cigarette and cannabis/marijuana) and suicide ideation and attempts while controlling for potential confounders. Early alcohol use initiation (ORadj = 1.52; 95% CI 1.17–1.97) and early cannabis/marijuana use initiation (ORadj = 2.90; 95% CI 2.20–3.83) were associated with suicide attempt in France. Early smoking was associated with suicide attempt in both France (ORadj = 1.92; 95% CI 1.55–2.37) and the USA (ORadj = 1.53; 95% CI 1.02–2.28). Sex differences were also noted. The associations between substance use initiation and suicidal behaviors differed in the United States and France. These findings, placed into context, can assist the development and implementation of prevention strategies that seek to reduce the harmful consequences of early substance use among youth.

A Global Perspective on Child Sexual Abuse: Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Around the World:

Abstract: Our comprehensive meta-analysis combined prevalence figures of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) reported in 217 publications published between 1980 and 2008, including 331 independent samples with a total of 9,911,748 participants. The overall estimated CSA prevalence was 127/1000 in self-report studies and 4/1000 in informant studies. Self-reported CSA was more common among female (180/1000) than among male participants (76/1000). Lowest rates for both girls (113/1000) and boys (41/1000) were found in Asia, and highest rates were found for girls in Australia (215/1000) and for boys in Africa (193/1000). The results of our meta-analysis confirm that CSA is a global problem of considerable extent, but also show that methodological issues drastically influence the self-reported prevalence of CSA.

Gender differences in depression in representative national samples: Meta-analyses of diagnoses and symptoms.

Abstract: In 2 meta-analyses on gender differences in depression in nationally representative samples, we advance previous work by including studies of depression diagnoses and symptoms to (a) estimate the magnitude of the gender difference in depression across a wide array of nations and ages; (b) use a developmental perspective to elucidate patterns of gender differences across the life span; and (c) incorporate additional theory-driven moderators (e.g., gender equity). For major depression diagnoses and depression symptoms, respectively, we meta-analyzed data from 65 and 95 articles and their corresponding national data sets, representing data from 1,716,195 and 1,922,064 people in over 90 different nations. Overall, odds ratio (OR) = 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.88, 2.03], and d = 0.27 [0.26, 0.29]. Age was the strongest predictor of effect size. The gender difference for diagnoses emerged earlier than previously thought, with OR = 2.37 at age 12. For both meta-analyses, the gender difference peaked in adolescence (OR = 3.02 for ages 13-15, and d = 0.47 for age 16) but then declined and remained stable in adulthood. Cross-national analyses indicated that larger gender differences were found in nations with greater gender equity, for major depression, but not depression symptoms. The gender difference in depression represents a health disparity, especially in adolescence, yet the magnitude of the difference indicates that depression in men should not be overlooked. (PsycINFO Database Record

Association between Water Intake, Chronic Kidney Disease, and Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of NHANES Data

Abstract: Background: Evidence from animal and human studies suggests a protective effect of higher water intake on kidney function and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here t