Problematic Internet Use, Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs, and Depressive Symptoms among Adolescents: A Large-Scale Study in China

Beifang Fan, Wanxing Wang, Tian Wang, Bo Xie, Huimin Zhang, Yuhua Liao, Ciyong Lu and Lan Guo
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Beifang Fan: Department of Psychiatry, Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518000, China
Wanxing Wang: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Tian Wang: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Bo Xie: Department of Psychiatry, Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518000, China
Huimin Zhang: Department of Psychiatry, Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518000, China
Yuhua Liao: Department of Psychiatry, Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518000, China
Ciyong Lu: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Lan Guo: Department of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: This large-scale study aimed to test, among Chinese adolescents, the association between problematic Internet use (PIU), non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD), and depressive symptoms, as well as the mediating effects of NMUPD on the associations above. This study used the data from the 2017 National School-based Chinese Adolescents Health Survey, and 24,345 students’ questionnaires qualified for the analyses. Generalized linear mixed models and path models were performed. In the models without mediation, PIU was associated with depressive symptoms (unstandardized β estimate = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.25–0.27); frequent use of opioid or sedative was also related to depressive symptoms (unstandardized β estimate for opioid = 2.77, 95% CI = 1.90–3.63; unstandardized β estimate for sedative = 4.45, 95% CI = 3.02–5.88). Additionally, the results of the path models indicated that opioid misuse partially mediated the association between PIU and depressive symptoms. PIU and opioid/sedative misuse were related to the increased risk of depressive symptoms, respectively. The association above might be complicated, and PIU may elevate the risk of opioid or sedative misuse and depressive symptoms, which in turn could worsen the situation of PIU and vice versa. Multidisciplinary health intervention programs to prevent adolescents involving in PIU, as well as NMPUD, are recommended to be provided.

Keywords: problematic Internet use; non-medical use of prescription drugs; depressive symptoms; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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