Age, period, and cohort effects in synthetic cannabinoid use among US adolescents, 2011-2015.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Synthetic cannabinoids use has been a public health concern given association with hospitalization and death among users. While national reports estimate that reported use is declining among adolescents, differences by birth cohort may indicate subgroups who remain at higher risk, both in the overall adolescent population and among demographic subgroups.

Methods

We estimated age, period, and cohort models of self-reported past-year synthetic cannabinoid use (queried as "synthetic marijuana" ["K2," "Spice"]) among 54,865 adolescents aged 13-19 attending high school from 2011 to 2015.

Results

Past-year use decreased from 11.86% in 2011 to 4.75% in 2015. This decrease was best represented as a linear downward trend. When stratified by key covariates, however,

SUBMITTER: Keyes KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4996475 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature