ORs (95% CIs) for adult outcomes of illicit drug use in adolescence (n=14 082)
| Illicit drug use at 16 years | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outcome at 30 years* | Never | Taken but not in the past year | Taken in the past year | p-Value for trend |
| Health behaviour | ||||
| Illicit drug use in the past year | 1 (Reference) | 1.57 (1.27, 1.94) | 2.36 (1.80, 3.09) | <0.001 |
| Smoke every day | 1 | 1.20 (0.93, 1.54) | 1.52 (1.10, 2.12) | 0.02 |
| Alcohol problem (CAGE score ≥2) | 1 | 1.17 (0.86, 1.58) | 1.59 (1.10, 2.26) | 0.02 |
| Mental health | ||||
| Seen specialist for problem with illicit drugs since 16 years of age | 1 | 1.63 (0.86, 3.10) | 2.71 (1.22, 6.01) | 0.01 |
| Seen specialist for psychiatric problem since 16 years of age | 1 | 1.19 (1.01, 1.40) | 1.22 (0.94, 1.60) | 0.03 |
| Psychiatric morbidity (Malaise score ≥7) | 1 | 1.35 (1.09, 1.67) | 1.31 (1.00, 1.72) | 0.01 |
| Physical health | ||||
| Seen doctor since 16 years of age to get treatment for an accident | 1 | 1.03 (0.88, 1.20) | 1.00 (0.83, 1.22) | 0.88 |
| Seen doctor since 16 years of age to get treatment for a violent assault, mugging or sexual assault | 1 | 1.27 (0.99, 1.63) | 1.27 (0.90, 1.80) | 0.03 |
| Socioeconomic disadvantage | ||||
| Unemployed | 1 | 1.24 (0.74, 2.08) | 1.27 (0.68, 2.37) | 0.36 |
| Homeless since 16 years of age | 1 | 1.54 (1.04, 2.29) | 2.11 (1.32, 3.37) | 0.002 |
| Police/criminal justice experiences | ||||
| Arrested by police since 16 years of age | 1 | 1.55 (1.23, 1.94) | 1.63 (1.23, 2.17) | <0.001 |
| Formally cautioned by police since 16 years of age | 1 | 1.74 (1.34, 2.25) | 2.41 (1.59, 3.63) | <0.001 |
| Been found guilty in court since 16 years of age | 1 | 1.53 (1.15, 2.04) | 2.12 (1.59, 2.83) | <0.001 |
*Reference category was ‘never used illicit drugs’. ORs are adjusted for sex, parental social class and the Rutter Malaise Inventory at 16 years. When available, age 16-year (baseline) assessments of outcomes were added to multivariable models. This included adjusting for screening positive on the Rutter Malaise Inventory at 16 years for the outcome at 30 years of having seen a specialist for a psychiatric problem; units of alcohol consumed in the past week at 16 years for the outcome at 30 years of screening positive for alcohol dependency; and the number of cigarettes smoked per week at 16 years for the outcome at 30 years of smoking every day.
CAGE, Cutting down, being Annoyed by criticism, feeling Guilty, and Eye-openers questionnaire.