Effectiveness of proactive video therapy for problematic alcohol use on treatment initiation, compliance, and alcohol intake: a randomised controlled trial in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Few people with problematic alcohol use reach treatment and dropout is frequent. Therapy for problematic alcohol use delivered via video conference (e-alcohol therapy) might overcome treatment barriers. In this randomised study, we tested whether proactive e-alcohol therapy outperformed face-to-face alcohol therapy (standard care) regarding treatment initiation, compliance, and weekly alcohol intake at 3-month and 12-month follow-up. METHODS: In this two-arm randomised controlled trial, we recruited individuals who had problematic alcohol use, defined as a score of 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; were 18 years or older; and had access to a personal computer, smartphone, or tablet with internet access in Denmark through online advertisements. Participants were assigned to receive alcohol therapy delivered either face-to-face or via video conference. The number, frequency, and duration of therapy sessions were individualised in both groups. Data analysis was conducted using masked data. Primary analyses were based on an intention-to-treat sample. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03116282). FINDINGS: Between Jan 22, 2018, and June 29, 2020, 816 individuals signed up for the trial and 502 (63%) were assessed for eligibility. We randomly assigned 379 to proactive e-alcohol therapy (n=187) or standard care (n=192), of which, 170 (48%) participants were female and 186 (52%) were male. In the intervention group, more participants initiated treatment (155 [88%] of 177 vs 96 [54%] of 179; odds ratio [OR] 6·3; 95% CI 2·8 to 13·8; p<0·0001 at 3 months; 151 [85%] of 177 vs 115 [64%] of 179; OR 3·2; 95% CI 1·6 to 6·2; p=0·0007 at 12 months) and complied with treatment (130 [73%] of 177 vs 74 [41%] of 179; OR 4·0; 95% CI 2·2 to 7·2; p<0·0001 at 3 months; 140 [79%] of 177 vs 95 [53%] of 179; OR 3·4; 95% CI 1·8 to 6·3; p=0·0002 at 12 months). Weekly alcohol intake was significantly lower in the intervention group only after 3 months (13·0 standard drinks per week vs 21·3 standard drinks per week; adjusted difference -6·7; 95% CI -12·3 to -1·0; p=0·019). INTERPRETATION: Proactive e-alcohol therapy was associated with increased treatment initiation and compliance and is promising as an easily accessible and effective alcohol treatment for individuals with problematic alcohol use. FUNDING: TrygFonden.

Adapting an evidence-based, home cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with heart failure and their caregivers to the Danish context: DK:REACH-HF study.

AIMS: Adapting interventions with an existing evidence base offers a more efficient approach than development of a new intervention. The aim of this study was to describe the process of adapting a home-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programme (REACH-HF) intervention originally developed in the United Kingdom for people with heart failure (HF) to the Danish health system - the 'DK:REACH-HF' programme. METHODS AND RESULTS: We followed methodological framework for the conduct and reporting of studies adapting interventions, utilizing documentary analysis, qualitative interviews, stakeholder consultations, and mapping of the Danish policy context. Our study found broad support for the REACH-HF intervention as an alternative to existing centre-based CR. We also identified three key areas of adaptation for the Danish context. First, reduce the word-count of the intervention's resources by linking to existing publicly available CR materials. Second, whilst retaining REACH-HF core components, adapt its content and delivery to reflect differences between Denmark and United Kingdom. Thirdly, to develop a digital version of the intervention. CONCLUSION: Using an evidence-based approach, we successfully adapted the REACH-HF intervention to the context of the Danish healthcare setting, maintaining core components of the original intervention, and developing both a paper based and digital version of the programme material. To inform scaled national implementation of the DK:REACH-HF programme, we seek to undertake a pilot study to test the adapted intervention materials feasibility and acceptability to healthcare practitioners, patients, and their caregivers and confirm the positive impact on the outcomes of HF patients and caregivers.

Characteristics associated with non-initiation and non-completion of human papillomavirus vaccination among Danish girls: a nationwide register-based cohort study.

AIM: The aim was to identify maternal and paternal socioeconomic and demographic characteristics for non-initiation and non-completion of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among Danish girls including time-trends. METHODS: This nationwide register-based cohort study included all girls residing in Denmark who were offered free-of-charge HPV vaccination as a part of the childhood vaccination program between 2009 and 2018 (birth cohorts 1996-2005). The study samples included 296,461 daughter-mother dyads and 291,025 daughter-father dyads. Data from the Danish Vaccination Register were linked with socioeconomic and demographic data from Statistics Denmark. HPV vaccination status was classified as 'non-initiation' for girls who received no HPV vaccine and as 'non-completion' for girls who initiated the HPV vaccination program but did not receive all the scheduled HPV vaccines. Data were analyzed using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Non-initiation of HPV vaccination was 13.7%, and non-completion was 24.2% among girls who initiated the HPV vaccination program. Girls of parents who were descendants of immigrants (adjusted odds ratio: 1.50; 95% confidence interval: 1.35-1.68), were at least 35-years old at time of birth, had basic or no education, had a low income, were not in the labor market, and were unmarried had the highest non-initiation and non-completion odds. The associations between socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and HPV vaccination uptake were similar for mothers and fathers. CONCLUSIONS: Despite free-of-charge availability to HPV vaccination in Denmark, we found disparities in non-initiation and non-completion of HPV vaccination among Danish girls by both mothers' and fathers' socioeconomic and demographic characteristics.

Associations between alcohol intake and hospital contacts due to alcohol and unintentional injuries in 71,025 Danish adolescents - a prospective cohort study.

Background: Alcohol is a leading risk factor to adolescent health. However, it is unclear how associations between alcohol intake and injuries are shaped. We investigated the dose-response relationship between alcohol intake and risk of hospital contacts due to alcohol and unintentional injuries in adolescents. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study including 71,025 Danish students aged 15-24 years, followed up for five years from 2014 to 2019. The main outcome measures were hospital contacts due to alcohol and unintentional injuries (all injuries and head injuries), obtained from hospital registers. Findings: Approximately 90% of males and females reported drinking alcohol, and the median intake among those was 11 drinks/week in males and 8 drinks/week in females. During five years of follow-up, 1.3% had an alcohol-attributable hospital contact, the majority of which were due to acute intoxication (70%). Alcohol-attributable hospital contacts were equally frequent in males and females and between age groups (15-17-year-olds vs 18-24-year-olds). Compared with never drinking, the adjusted incidence rate ratios for weekly intake of <7, 7-13, 14-20, 21-27, and >27 drinks/week were 1.70 (95% confidence interval 1.23-2.34), 1.77 (1.27-2.46), 1.91 (1.35-2.70), 2.34 (1.59-3.46), and 3.25 (2.27-4.64) for having an alcohol-attributable hospital contact within five years of follow-up. Restricting follow-up to one year more than doubled risk estimates. During the five years of follow-up, 27% incurred an unintentional injury. The most frequent types of injury were to the wrist or hand (27.6%), ankle or foot (25.2%), or head (12.4%). Injuries were more frequent among males (first-time incidence rate 110 per 1000 person-years) compared to females (82 per 1000 person-years), with no differences between age groups. Compared with never drinking, the adjusted incidence rate ratios for weekly intake of <7, 7-13, 14-20, 21-27, and >27 drinks were 1.09 (1.03-1.15), 1.14 (1.07-1.20), 1.25 (1.17-1.33), 1.38 (1.28-1.49), and 1.58 (1.47-1.69) for having a hospital contact for any type of unintentional injury within five years of follow-up. Results for the one-year follow-up period were comparable. Separate analysis for head injuries showed similar results as the analysis on all injuries. Results were generally similar in males and females. Interpretation: Adolescents' drinking is associated with a higher risk of acute harm in terms of hospital contacts due to alcohol and unintentional injuries in a dose-response relationship. Thus, increased risk was apparent in those with low alcohol intake, suggesting a need for awareness of and initiatives to prevent youth drinking. Furthermore, initiatives should include a strengthened focus on people younger than 18 years. Funding: This study was funded by the Tryg Foundation (ID: 153539) and The Helse Foundation (21-B-0359).

HPV vaccination and side effects.

In Denmark, the proportion of children completing the HPV vaccination program is lower than for other vaccines, and the relatively low uptake is believed to be influenced by a media debate on suspected side effects of HPV vaccination. Based on a systematic PubMed search, this review identified 14 Danish studies that compared symptoms or disease incidence among HPV-vaccinated individuals with the incidence in a control group. Most studies showed no association between HPV vaccination and subsequent illness.

Time trends in body mass index distribution in the general population in Denmark from 1987 to 2021.

INTRODUCTION: The epidemic increase in obesity is well documented and of intensive public health interest. Attention has almost entirely focused on a dichotomous measure of obesity such as how the prevalence of BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 has changed over time. Less consideration has been given to how the general distribution of BMI has evolved. METHODS: We used data from the National Health and Morbidity Surveys, which are surveys of the adult Danish population (16 years or above) conducted in 1987, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021. Participants reported height and weight from which BMI was calculated following correction for systematic bias in self-reported data and non-response. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity in Denmark increased from 6.1% in 1987 to 18.4% in 2021. A right shift in BMI distribution was observed with positive linear slopes for high and low BMI percentiles and for all socioeconomic groups, although with steeper slopes for high BMI percentiles and for short education. CONCLUSIONS: The right shift in the distribution curve of BMI from 1987 to 2021 with gradually higher values in all BMI percentiles and in all socioeconomic strata show that the increasing obesity prevalence may, to some extent, be attributed to a generally higher BMI in the entire Danish population. FUNDING: None. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not relevant.

Prevention of hazardous use of alcohol among high school students: a study protocol for the randomized controlled trial 'Our choice'.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent hazardous alcohol use is prevalent and has serious short- and long-term consequences. The trial 'Our Choice' examines efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of prevention interventions targeting school, parent, and student levels at Danish high schools. We hypothesize that students in a structural intervention (school and parent levels) reduce hazardous alcohol use and related health behaviors compared to students in an assessment only control group 12 months post baseline; and that adding group-based Motivational Interviewing (group MI) yields further improvements. The study examines the efficacy of interventions targeting multiple levels with the aim of providing novel insights into prevention of adolescent hazardous alcohol use and related health outcomes. METHOD: The study employs a parallel group cluster randomized controlled trial design with three conditions: (1) structural condition targeting school and parent levels, (2) structural condition combined with group MI which also targets the student level, and (3) assessment-only control condition. A participatory approach is used to adapt and develop interventions. Sixteen high schools in Denmark and about N = 3100 first-year students (15-18 years) enrolled in high school in August 2023 will be recruited. Data will be collected via online questionnaires pre-interventions (baseline), 2, 6, 9 and 12 month post baseline and analyzed with generalized linear mixed models. The primary outcome is past month high intensity drinking; secondary outcomes are alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, well-being, tobacco, and illegal substance use. Feasibility and acceptability will be assessed via surveys (students) and interviews (high school staff) to inform future implementation. DISCUSSION: 'Our Choice' is the first trial to compare the efficacy of a structural intervention targeting school- and parent levels to an intervention targeting these levels and the student level via group MI - on hazardous drinking and related health outcomes among students. Preventing and reducing hazardous alcohol use during adolescence is crucial due to the short- and long-term negative consequences. The tested interventions can be implemented at low cost. The study has significant implications for adolescent health and well-being and has potential to inform evidence-based decisions on alcohol prevention policy, education, and health professions. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The trial was retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on August 24th, 2023. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ID NCT06018389.

Alcohol Intake and Academic Performance and Dropout in High School: A Prospective Cohort Study in 65,233 Adolescents.

PURPOSE: During the teenage years, many adolescents start drinking alcohol, and binge drinking is prevalent. We investigated the relationship between alcohol intake and academic performance. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study by combining data from the Danish National Youth Study on 65,233 high school students aged 15-20 years, with information on dropout and grade point average. We assessed associations between alcohol intake and academic performance using multilevel Poisson regression and linear regression, accounting for dependency between students from the same school and class. RESULTS: The average alcohol intake was 10 drinks per week, and 43.6% engaged in binge drinking 3+ times per month. During follow-up, 9.8% of the boys and 6.7% of the girls dropped out. The incidence rate ratio was higher in never drinkers, frequent binge drinkers, and those with a high weekly alcohol intake as compared to those with a low intake. For example, the incidence rate ratio was 1.47 (95% confidence level: 1.24, 1.76) in girls who drank 21-27 drinks per week and 1.29 (95% confidence level: 1.13, 1.48) in girls who never drank as compared to those who drank <7 drinks per week. Alcohol associated with a lower grade point average over the entire span of intake in a dose-dependent manner, and similarly so in boys and girls. Findings were consistent in strata of socioeconomy and individual academic ambition. DISCUSSION: Alcohol intake has implications for academic performance and poses a threat for the prospects of the individual as well as society. Policies and interventions aimed at lowering the intake among high school students are warranted.

Trends in smoking-related diseases by socioeconomic position following a national smoking ban in 2007: a nationwide study in the Danish population.

BACKGROUND: National comprehensive smoke-free legislation has been found to decrease the incidence of several smoking-related diseases. In 2007, Denmark introduced a national smoking ban, which banned smoking indoor in workplaces and public places, although only partial restrictions were applied in certain settings. We examined the impact of the smoking ban on smoking-related diseases and whether this differed across socioeconomic groups. METHODS: Interrupted time series analyses of nationwide register data were performed using Poisson regression models to examine the differential impact of the smoking ban on monthly incidence rates of acute myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and smoking-related cancers from 2002 to 2015. Immediate changes in incidence rates after the smoking ban and long-term changes in disease trends were estimated by comparing data from the pre- and post-ban period. Models were stratified by socioeconomic position. RESULTS: Overall, we found neither immediate changes in rates of acute myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and smoking-related cancers following the smoking ban nor long-term post-ban changes in disease trends as compared to before the ban. Results did not differ across socioeconomic groups. A pronounced socioeconomic gradient in incidence rates was observed for all outcomes both before and after the smoking ban. CONCLUSION: The national smoking ban was not associated with a lower incidence of smoking-related diseases in the post-ban period compared to pre-ban levels and no differences between socioeconomic groups were observed. Future tobacco control in Denmark should consider which measures most effectively target the low socioeconomic groups to decrease the current strong socioeconomic inequality in health.

Socioeconomic inequalities in alcohol-related harm in adolescents: a prospective cohort study of 68,299 Danish 15-19-year-olds.

Background: Evidence shows that similar levels of alcohol consumption lead to greater harm in adults with low socioeconomic position (SEP) compared to high SEP. We investigated if SEP is associated with alcohol-related hospital contacts in adolescents, and whether differences in risk can be explained by differences in levels of alcohol consumption, drinking pattern, and substance use. Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of 68,299 participants aged 15-19 years old from the Danish National Youth Cohort 2014. SEP was operationalised as parent educational level, family income and perceived financial strain in the family. Data were linked to national registers and participants were followed up for five years from 2014 to 2019. Outcomes were hospital contacts due to alcohol. Multilevel Poisson regression was used to estimate incidence rates (IR) and incidence rate ratios (IRR). Findings: During 280,010 person years of follow-up, 872 participants had an alcohol-attributable hospital contact; intoxications (n = 778, 89%) were the most common diagnosis. Low as compared to high SEP was associated with higher IRR of alcohol-attributable hospital contacts for all three SEP measures. The adjusted IRR of harm was 1.73 (95% CI: 1.29-2.33) for elementary school as the highest parent education compared to longer parent education and 1.57 (95% CI: 1.30-1.89) for family financial strain compared to those without financial strain. Adjustment for weekly alcohol intake, drinking pattern and substance use did not substantially change results. Cubic spline analysis of the association between family income and alcohol-attributable hospital contacts revealed a dose-response relationship with decreasing risk of alcohol-related harm with higher income. Interpretation: Our findings suggested that alcohol-related harm is more common in socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents despite similar levels of alcohol consumption, regardless of differences in drinking pattern or substance use. Future preventive strategies should prioritise young adolescents, including those who are most disadvantaged. Funding: Tryg Foundation (ID: 153539).

Lack of evidence for the use of ear acupuncture in alcohol treatment.

71% of the Danish municipal alcohol treatment centres use NADA acupuncture. This status report based on recent reviews of the effect and risks of using auricular acupuncture in alcohol treatment shows that the available studies do not have sufficient strength and methodological quality to draw conclusions about effectiveness on craving, alcohol-related outcome measures or withdrawal symptoms. The results warrant a reassessment of the use of NADA in publicly funded alcohol treatment.

Changes in loneliness prevalence in Denmark in the 21st century: Age-period-cohort analysis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the prevalence of loneliness in Denmark from 2000 to 2021 by conducting age-period-cohort analysis. METHODS: Our study was based on a sample (N=83,437; age: ⩾16 years) of the Danish Health and Morbidity Surveys conducted in Denmark in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021. We used logistic regression models by gender to estimate the age-period-cohort effects, with loneliness as the dependent variable and age, survey year and birth cohort as independent variables, mutually adjusted. RESULTS: The prevalence of adult loneliness increased by each survey year over the entire period (from 13.2% in 2000 to 27.4% in 2021 among men and from 18.8% to 33.7% among women). Overall, a U-shaped curve, for the prevalence of loneliness among different age groups, was observed, which was most pronounced among women. The greatest increase in the prevalence of loneliness from 2000 to 2021 was observed among the youngest age group (16-24 years), with 28.4 and 30.7 percentage points for men and women. No significant cohort effect was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The observed increase in loneliness prevalence from 2000 to 2021 was driven by period and age effects rather than cohort effects. It should be noted that data from 2021 were collected during a national lockdown due to an outbreak of COVID-19, which could explain part of the large increase in loneliness from 2017 to 2021.

Alcohol-related mortality in 15-24-year-olds in Denmark (2010-2019): a nationwide exploratory study of circumstances and socioeconomic predictors.

Background: Adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years are disproportionately affected by unnatural deaths, including accidents, suicide and interpersonal violence for which alcohol is a leading risk factor. We aimed to explore the extent of and circumstances surrounding alcohol-related deaths in young people aged 15-24 years and whether socioeconomic background and ethnicity differ in those who died due to alcohol-related causes as compared to the background population. Methods: All deaths of 15-24-year-olds occurring in Denmark from 2010 to 2019 were investigated. We manually reviewed death certificates containing information on circumstances, results from autopsies and blood tests, and statements from witnesses. Relevant information published in the media (most often newspaper articles) was included. Our main outcome measures were alcohol-related death and manner of death (accidents (transport accidents, drownings, falls, poisonings), suicide and violence). Further, we designed a population-based case-control study including 10 age- and sex-matched controls per case to test whether there was a socioeconomic gradient in alcohol-related deaths. We used parents' educational level and employment status to define socioeconomic position. Immigration status was used to assess ethnicity. Findings: Over the 10-year period, 1783 deaths occurred among 15-24-year-olds. Of those, 1067 (60%) were due to unnatural causes, corresponding to a mortality rate of 14.8 (95% confidence interval: 13.9-15.7) per 100,000. Twelve percent of unnatural deaths (n = 125) were alcohol related, corresponding to a rate of 1.7 (1.4-2.0) per 100,000, and were higher in males (2.9 [2.3-3.4]) than in females (0.6 [0.3-0.8]); thus, males accounted for 105 (84%) of alcohol-related deaths. The majority of alcohol-related deaths occurred on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (n = 77, 62%). Accidents accounted for 82% (n = 102) of alcohol-related deaths, followed by suicide (n = 19, 15%) and interpersonal violence (n = 4, 3%). Of all fatal accidents, 102 of 636 (16%) were alcohol related. Of all deaths caused by drownings and falls, 14 of 26 (54%) and 10 of 25 (40%), respectively, were alcohol related. Alcohol-related drownings most often occurred while the deceased was alone, whereas alcohol-related falls most often occurred in relation to parties, involving falls from a window or balcony. Those who died from alcohol-related causes more often had parents with a short education or who were unemployed, as compared to the general population. For example, odds ratios were 3.9 (2.2-7.0) and 1.8 (1.2-2.9) for having parents with short and medium as compared to long educations. The odds ratio for being of Danish origin was 4.0 (1.7-9.5) compared to being first- or second-generation immigrants. Interpretation: In 15-24-year-olds, alcohol-related deaths accounted for a substantial proportion of all unnatural deaths. There was substantial socioeconomic inequality in alcohol-related deaths, as has repeatedly been shown for chronic alcohol-related mortality in older adults. Funding: Trygfonden.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Breastfeeding as a Vulnerable Function: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological Studies.

Milk formation in the breast during breastfeeding is a complex hormonally regulated process, potentially sensitive to the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemical exposures. The environmental chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known endocrine disruptors. PFAS exposure have been associated with insufficient mammary gland development in mice and reduced breastfeeding duration in humans. The aim of this review was to gather the epidemiological evidence on the association between PFAS exposure and breastfeeding duration. Using PubMed and Embase, we performed a systematic literature search (on 23 January 2023) to identify epidemiological studies examining the association between maternal PFAS exposure and breastfeeding duration. Animal studies, reviews, and non-English studies were excluded. The risk of bias was assessed using the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of exposures tool. Estimates describing the association between PFAS exposure and the duration of breastfeeding were identified, and the data were synthesized separately for each type of PFAS and for the duration of exclusive and total breastfeeding. Six studies with between 336 and 2374 participants each were identified. PFAS exposure was assessed in serum samples (five studies) or based on residential address (one study). Five out of six studies found shorter total duration of breastfeeding with higher PFAS exposure. The most consistent associations were seen for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). The finding of a potential causal association between PFAS exposure and breastfeeding duration is in agreement with findings from experimental studies.

Alcohol Drinking Patterns and Risk of Developing Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis.

AIM: The aim was to analyze the effects of drinking pattern and type of alcohol on risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: Prospective cohort study based on data from 316,751 men and women participating in the Danish National Health Surveys 2010 and 2013. Self-reported questionnaire-based alcohol parameters and information on pancreatitis was obtained from national health registers. Cox regression models were used adjusting for baseline year, gender, age, smoking, Body Mass Index, diet and education. RESULTS: Development of acute and chronic pancreatitis increased with alcohol intake with a significant increase among abstainers and those drinking >14 drinks per week compared with individuals drinking 1-7 drinks per week. Frequent binge drinking and frequent drinking (every day) was associated with increased development of acute and chronic pancreatitis compared with those drinking 2-4 days per week. Problematic alcohol use according to the CAGE-C questionnaire was associated with increased development of acute and chronic pancreatitis.Intake of more than 14 drinks of spirits per week was associated with increased development of acute and chronic pancreatitis, and more than 14 drinks of beer per week were associated with increased development of chronic pancreatitis, whereas drinking wine was not associated with development of pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: This large prospective population study showed a J-shaped association between alcohol intake and development of pancreatitis. Drinking every day, frequent binge drinking and problematic alcohol use were associated with increased development of pancreatitis and drinking large amounts of beer and spirits might be more harmful than drinking wine.

Time trends and geographical patterns in suicide among Greenland Inuit.

BACKGROUND: Between 1980 and 2018 Greenland has had one of the highest suicide rates in the world with an average rate of 96 suicides per 100,000 people annually. The aim of this study is to investigate suicide rates in Greenland according to age, birth cohort, period, sex, place of residence and suicide method from 1970 until 2018. METHODS: Suicide rates were examined using register and census data from 1970-2018 among Greenland Inuit. Rates were calculated by Poisson regression in Stata and by use of Excel. In analyses of the period trends, rates were standardized according to the World Standard Population 2000-2025. RESULTS: The suicide rate has been declining since a peak at 120 suicides per 100,000 people annually in the 1980s but remained high at a rate of 81.3 suicides per 100,000 people annually from 2015-2018. Descriptive analyses point to the decrease in male suicides as the primary factor for the overall decreasing rates while the rate among women has been increasing. Simultaneously, the proportion of women who used a violent suicide method increased from 60% in 1970-1979 to 90% in 2010-2018. The highest rates are seen among young people, especially young men aged 20-24 years and youth suicide rates increased with later birth cohorts. When the rates started to increase in the 1980s both the capital Nuuk and East Greenland had the highest rates. Since then, the rate in Nuuk has declined while the rate in East Greenland was three times the national rate from 2015-2018. CONCLUSIONS: From 1970 to 1989 the suicide rate increased from 28.7 to 120.5 per 100,000 people mirroring a rapid societal transition in the post-colonial period. The rate has slowly declined from the peak in the 1980s but remains at a very high level. Young people in general are at risk, but the steady increase in the rate among women is worrying and there is a need to investigate underlying causes for this development.

Perceived parental alcohol problems and later dropout and grade point average in high school: A register-based follow-up study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that young people with perceived parental alcohol problems have higher dropout rates in high school and lower grade point average (GPA) at graduation compared to young people without perceived parental alcohol problems. METHODS: Data come from Danish National Youth Study 2014 (n = 62,171), merged with register-data on later dropout of high school and GPA. Multilevel Poisson regression models of incidence rates of dropout and multilevel linear models of GPA were used to assess the association with perceived parental alcohol problems. RESULTS: A total of 6.6% of the students perceived their parent(s) to have alcohol problems. Young people with perceived parental alcohol problems had higher dropout rate (girls incidence rate ratio 1.83; 95% confidence interval [1.62-2.06]); boys (incidence rate ratio 1.38; 95% confidence interval [1.17-1.64]) and lower grades (GPA: -0.24; 95% confidence interval [-0.32; -0.17]) compared to those without. There was no statistically significant difference between mother's and fathers' alcohol problems in the associations with dropout and GPA. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Perceived parental alcohol problems were associated with higher incidence rate ratio of dropout and lower grades within all categories of the socioeconomic factors. Our results show that young people with perceived parental alcohol problems have higher high school dropout rates and lower grades compared to those without perceived parental alcohol problems across gender and socioeconomic position. The results call for evidence-based interventions to support young people with parental alcohol problems in the educational system.

Changes in adult obesity prevalence in Denmark, 1987-2021: age-period-cohort analysis of nationally representative data.

BACKGROUND: During the last decades, the prevalence of obesity [body mass index (BMI): weight/height2), ≥30.00 kg/m2] among adults has increased considerably. We examined whether this increase in a high-income, welfare state, like Denmark was driven by age, period or cohort effects, which would inform preventive strategies aiming at reducing the prevalence. METHODS: We used data from the National Representative Health and Morbidity Studies, which are representative surveys of the Danish adult population (age 16 years and above), conducted in 1987, 1994, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2021 (N = 91 684). Participants reported height and weight, from which BMI was calculated after correction for systematic bias in self-reported data and non-response. Age, survey year and birth cohorts were mutually adjusted and adjusted for sex in generalized linear models. RESULTS: The obesity prevalence increased from 6.1% in 1987 to 18.4% in 2021, similarly in men (18.8%) and women (18.0%) and in all age groups. Age had an inverted u-shaped effect on the prevalence. Compared with individuals aged 16-24 years, the highest rate of obesity was seen for the age group 55-64 years [rate ratio 3.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.58; 4.14]. The increasing rate for each recent survey year over time was compatible with a period effect without any birth cohort effects. The rate for obesity in 2021 was 4.16 in 1987 vs. 1987 (95% CI: 3.10; 5.59). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity prevalence in Denmark increased steadily during the period 1987 through 2021, primarily driven by secular changes over time across all ages and birth cohorts.