Trends in Norwegian adolescents' substance use between 2014 and 2022: socioeconomic and gender differences.

Background: Substance use is a global health concern and early onset among adolescents increases health risks. We explore national overall trends in prevalence and trends in socioeconomic inequalities in past year alcohol intoxication, cannabis use, and use of other illicit drugs among Norwegian adolescents (ages ∼ 15-19 years of age) between 2014 and 2022.

Method: The present study builds on data from a nationwide repeated cross-sectional survey collected in 2014-2016 (T1), 2017-2019 (T2), 2021 (T3) and 2022 (T4).

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown on Mental Well-Being of Norwegian Adolescents During the First Wave-Socioeconomic Position and Gender Differences.

The lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic has been called a crisis in mental health, and adolescents may have been among the most affected. Comparing the first period of societal lockdown in spring 2020 to periods going back to 2014 using a rich cross-sectional dataset based on repeated surveys, we explore the potential changes in self-reported mental well-being across sociodemographic groups among Norway's adolescents. Norway closed schools and implemented strict restrictions in March 2020; an electronic questionnaire survey was distributed to lower secondary school students in Trøndelag county ( = 2,443) in May 2020.