Alcohol and substance abuse is one of the most top concerns among all age groups because of its evident increase in prevalence and mortality. One of the common factors that may have an impact among people affected by alcohol and substance abuse is age. Since the body undergoes various changes and developments as time passes, it is expected that changes in relation to alcohol and substance abuse may vary according to age. Studies have revealed that substance abuse and age have definite correlations. According to statistics, individuals are at higher risk of being dependent to alcohol late in life when they start drinking at a younger age. In terms of binge drinking, the highest frequency of binge drinkers can be found among teenagers aged 18-22. In terms of morbidity and mortality, it has been estimated that three million teenagers living in the USA are considered to be alcoholics with 5,000 dying each year due to underage drinking. On the other hand, alcoholism has been considered as more dangerous to older people because of higher their higher risks for other health conditions. People dependent on alcohol who are older than 65 have high possibility of developing different symptoms which can eventually lead to injuries or deaths. It has been reported that the average age of individuals who are admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities was 18.6 years. For illicit drug abuse, data have shown that people who are involved in illicit drug abuse increases with age and the peak is usually among individuals aged 18-20 years old. Fortunately, the frequency of illicit substance abusers decreases after this age (Alcoholrehab, 2016.; National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence [NCADD], 2015).
Another factor known to affect people involved in alcohol and substance abuse is gender. It has been acknowledged that gender is considered as an important factor that can influence not only substance addiction but also treatment. According to studies, women are lesser drinkers than men. They are also considered as the gender who experiences less alcohol related problems. Results of nationwide surveys revealed that men have the higher tendency to drink more than four drinks in just one sitting. Moreover, the results of the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) revealed that over 38% of men and 20% of women have been reported to experience at least one of the alcohol dependence symptoms. Additionally, the survey also showed that men have the higher possibility of meeting the full criteria for alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse than women. However, latest studies have reported decreasing difference in drinking and alcohol-related problems when talking about gender. There have been observable convergence when it comes to both gender’s usage of alcohol (Nolen-Hoeksema, 2004). Experts revealed that metabolism differences may be considered as one of the factors that affects the evident disparity among gender. When dealing with substance abuse, it has been revealed that men have the higher possibility of abusing drugs than women. Since men and women have different ways of metabolizing drugs and substances, the reasons for using substances may also be different. According to studies, the reason for the prescription drug abuse of men may be due to social or behavioral issues while women tend to have psychological issues (Alcoholrehab, 2016).
There are three factors that can affect the vulnerability of individuals to alcohol and substance abuse namely: social, political, and economic factors. When dealing with social factors, some of the most common indicators include urbanization, poverty, migration, unemployment, and educational deficits. These indicators are acknowledged to have major effects when it comes to the mental health and substance usage of individuals. On the other hand, economic factors include the detrimental effects of alcohol and substance abuse to teenagers which also affects the ability of the nation to respond to the future challenges in economy. Also, with the continuous increase in morbidity and mortality of alcohol and drug abuse cases, the treatment and health care expenses remain high which also affects the economy of a country. For the political aspect, the inability of officials and governments to find a suitable treatment and prevention plan for alcohol and substance abuse still proves to be a primary concern. When these factors intersect, there is a common indicator that stands out which is poverty or the dependence on a cash economy. When a nation does not have enough resources for the treatment and prevention strategies, few individuals will be appropriately informed. Moreover, poverty also pressures individuals when it comes to meeting personal needs and even the needs of the family (Uchtenhagen, 2004; Bobo and Husten, 2000).
Since the population greatly affected with alcohol and substance abuse are teenagers, it is important that they are considered to be the target population for the new model program which will involve preventive approach and treatment for teenagers who are already dependent to alcohol or substance entitled “user no more”.
“User no more” is a program which will provide consultation services and mentoring for teenagers especially those who are at high risk of alcohol and substance dependence. It is important for these individuals to have guidance counselors or psychologists to help prevent the increase in the number of users. It will also focus on educating and disseminating information which can help parents and other relatives understand the reasons behind alcohol and substance abuse and the possible health concerns that may stem from it. This activity will ensure that the teenagers are understood by their families and friends. It may also lessen pressure on the side of the teenager. A treatment activity will also be done which will involve teenagers who have been diagnosed to be dependent on alcohol and other substances. This is important for handling and treating individuals. Lastly, a livelihood or training facility will also be provided to help teenagers have things to do which can help divert their attention from unnecessary use of drugs and alcohol.
References
Alcohol Rehab,. (2016). Age and Substance Abuse. Retrieved 21 February 2016, from http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/age-and-substance-abuse/
Alcohol Rehab,. (2016). Gender and Substance Abuse. Retrieved 22 February 2016, from http://alcoholrehab.com/drug-addiction/gender-and-substance-abuse/
Bobo, J.K. and Husten, C. (2000). Sociocultural Influences on Smoking and Drinking. Alcohol Research and Health 24(4): 225-232.
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence [NCADD]. (2015). Alcohol, Drugs and Youth. NCADD. Retrieved from https://www.ncadd.org/about-addiction/underage-issues/alcohol-drugs-and-youth [Accessed on 20 Feb 2016].
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2004). Gender differences in risk factors and consequences for alcohol use and problems. Clinical Psychology Review 24: 981-1010.
Uchtenhagen, A. (2004). Substance use problems in developing countries. Bulletin of World Health Organization 82(9):639-718.
