SUBSTANCE USE QUIZ

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Youth Substance Abuse in Canada

TRUE

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FALSE

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Question 1/6

Question 1

In Canada, Indigenous people (comprising First Nations, Métis and Inuit people) carry a disproportionate burden of the harms related to substance use.

False

True

Question 1/6

The health inequities experienced by Indigenous people represent the embodiment of the structural and systemic disadvantages that result from the enduring legacy of colonization.In Canada, rates of HIV, hepatitis C and homelessness are higher among Indigenous people who use drugs compared to non-Indigenous people who use drugs. Evidence from prospective studies shows that people who identify as Indigenous are less likely to receive treatment for substance use (including but not limited to opioid agonist treatment) and, if they do access treatment, they are more likely to drop out. (Source: Adelson E. The embodiment of inequity: health disparities in Aboriginal Canada. Can J Public Health 2005.

True

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Question 2/6

Question 2

Although rates have been declining, more than 50% of students in British Columbia have tried alcohol

False

True

Question 2/6

The figures by the latest B.C Adolescent Health Survey (BC AHS) shows it's less than 50% of students, in fact it's around 45% of students in British Columbia that have tried alcohol. (Source: The BC Adolescent Health Survey (BC AHS))

False

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Question 3/6

Question 3

Young people ages 15-24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.

False

True

Question 3/6

• Canadian youth and young adults account for a high percentage of drug users.

• 60% of illicit drug users in Canada are between the ages of 15 and 24.

• Drug use is especially detrimental for young people.

(Source: Addiction Statistics in Canada. https://www.addictionhelp.com/addiction/canadian-statistics/)

True

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Question 4/6

Question 4

Substance use is associated with several leading causes of death among youth (e.g., suicide, unintentional injury, violence)

False

True

Question 4/6

Avoidable deaths in young people demonstrate an urgent need to provide effective substance use services to this population (Source: Wong SS, Zhou B, Goebert D, et al. The risk of adolescent suicide across patterns of drug use: a nationally representative study of high school students. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol.)

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True

Question 5/6

Question 5

First Nations people are five times more likely to overdose and three times more likely to die from overdose than non-First Nations people.

False

True

Question 5/6

• Currently in BC, Indigenous communities are being disproportionately affected by the opioid overdose crisis.

• Strategies for promoting equity in access to health care emphasize meaningful engagement and partnerships with Indigenous communities, community ownership of services, and the importance of integrated holistic services that attend to the social determinants of health.

(Source: Overdose data and First Nations in BC: preliminary findings. Vancouver: First Nations Health Authority; 2017).

True

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Question 6/6

Question 6

B.C youth expressed wanting more information about the neuroscience of addiction, and how to differentiate between substance use, abuse, and disorder to reduce feelings of shame and increase their ability to identify when they should reach out for support.

False

True

Question 6/6

• Youth expressed a lack of available information about substance use and services and identified a need to reach those who were not already actively accessing services. This included advertising about different service options in schools, coffee shops, bars, and social media.

• Youth appreciated learning that substances affect people differently, which validated their experiences.

• Youth were more likely to reach out to friends for support; however, participants reported that the normalization of substance use among youth meant peers often did not take issues seriously and therefore could not be an effective source of support long-term. This also strengthened participants’ self-doubt about whether their issues warranted support from health and social services, often delaying accessing to care.

(Source: Stockings E, Hall WD, Lynskey M, Morley K, Reavley N, Strang J, et al. Prevention, early intervention, harm reduction, and treatment of substance use in young people. Lancet Psychiatry)

True

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