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Drug use among native American young adults.

Young adult Native American students at a postsecondary educational institute showed a very high level of use of all drugs when compared with other samples of college age youth. Alcohol, marijuana, and amphetamines were drugs of choice: 31% had tried inhalants although there was little present use; 10% were involved in a drug subculture, using multiple drugs relatively heavily. The authors' interpretation of these findings is either the institution attracts drug users or young Native Americans from relatively isolated environments have higher susceptibility to drugs when they enter an urban (nonreservation) culture.

Adolescent

Cross validation of the 2-8/8-2 MMPI code type for young adult psychiatric outpatients.

Young adults attending a college student mental health center and obtaining 2 and 8 as their highest scale elevations (and not scale 7 as the third elevation) on the MMPI were compared to other patients at the center on 175 descriptors obtained from intake interviews. Those items which discriminated (chi2, p less than .05) 2-8/8-2 patients from others in the sample are presented in relationship to the descriptors obtained for this code type by other investigators. The statements generated by the Marks and Seeman interpretive system for adults were then reanalyzed by the Chi Square method to demonstrate the differential effect of statistical method upon code type interpretation. Although previously established correlates of 2-8/8-2 profiles were partially validated, a number of different descriptors emerge for males and females in this population. Questions are raised and discussed concerning methodologies for generating interpretive statements for various clinical populations.

Adolescent

Substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions among adolescents and young adults in North America: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions are common among adolescents and young adults and represent an important clinical and public health concern in North America. Trauma exposure, psychiatric symptoms, and social adversity frequently co-occur with substance-related problems in this population. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on prevalence patterns, associated clinical and psychosocial factors, and care-related implications described in the literature on adolescents and young adults with substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions. METHODS: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was preregistered in PROSPERO (CRD42024581685). A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar. Eligible studies examined adolescents and young adults (≤ 25 years) in North America. A combination of subject headings, keywords, and synonyms for the concepts "adolescents," "young adults," "substance use disorders," and "co-occurring mental health conditions" was used. Of 1,882 records identified, 29 studies met the inclusion criteria. Given the heterogeneity of the literature, findings were synthesized narratively. RESULTS: The included studies showed heterogeneity in population, setting, denominator, and ascertainment method. Across the literature, depressive, anxiety-related, trauma-related, and externalizing mental health presentations were frequently reported alongside substance-related problems in adolescents and young adults. Trauma exposure, adverse childhood experiences, and broader social adversity were also commonly reported in association with substance-related problems across studies. Care-related implications were more limited and were largely derived as future directions mentioned across studies rather than direct evaluations of youth-specific service models. CONCLUSION: Co-occurring mental health and substance-related problems were frequently reported among adolescents and young adults in high-risk and service-engaged populations in North America. Trauma and social adversity were prominent across the reviewed literature, while direct evidence for evaluated, integrated, youth-specific care models remains limited. These findings support the relevance of developmentally appropriate, integrated, and trauma-informed approaches to care and highlight the need for further research directly evaluating improved service delivery models for this population. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Humans

Axonal transport of taurine along neonatal and young adult rat optic axons.

Studies in this laboratory have indicated that taurine is axonally transported along goldfish optic nerves. In the present experiments the axonal transport of taurine was examined in neonatal and young adult rat optic axons. [35S]taurine was injected into the vitreous humor of right eyes of developing (1--15-day-old) or young adult (40-day-old) rats. At various times after injection ranging from 3 h to 7 days, right retinae and left and right geniculates were removed and assayed for radioactivity, left minus right lateral geniculate (L-RLG) radioactivity being used as an index of axonally transported [35S]taurine. Results indicated that taurine was rapidly transported along both neonatal and young optic axons, in contrast to other amino acids (i.e., leucine and proline) which are not axonally transported in this system. Significant developmental variations were seen in both L-RLG and right retinal [35S]taurine activity 24 h after injection. The amounts of L-RLG [35S]taurine corrected for retinal ganglion cell uptake in animals injected at 1,4,7 and 11 days after birth (prior to and during the major period of synaptogenesis in the geniculates) were 4.5, 3.1, 2.3 and 2.6 times higher, respectively, than those in the young adults. In contrast, the amount of corrected L-RLG [35S]taurine in animals injected at 15 days after birth (after synaptogenesis) were not significantly different from that in the young adult.

Age Factors

Financial incentives and health coaching to improve glycemic outcomes among young adults with type 1 diabetes: A factorial randomized trial (SweetGoals).

AIM: This study aimed to improve glycemic control among young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D), an at-risk and understudied population. METHOD: N = 300 young adults with T1D recruited nationally were randomized to the factorial combination of (1) financial incentives targeting glucose checking and mealtime behaviors and (2) web health coaching focused on increasing motivation and goal setting for self-management behaviors. All received a smartphone app that accessed device data and provided weekly goal feedback. The intervention lasted 6 months. HbA1c (A1c) was assessed at baseline, +6 months, and +12 months. The mean number of glucose checking and mealtime goals met per week during the intervention were tested as mediators of intervention effects on A1c at 12 months. RESULTS: A1c was significantly reduced from baseline to +12 months across all participants. Indirect effects of both incentives and coaching on A1c reductions were significant and partially mediated by mealtime but not glucose checking goal achievement. There was no synergistic (interaction) effect of incentives and coaching. CONCLUSION: Incentives and coaching both improved critical mealtime behavior but through different strategies. These results suggest that either intervention would be suitable for future testing and dissemination, and that lower cost of incentives may favor their prioritization.

Adolescent

Age as a core disease modifier: Distinct clinical, molecular and prognostic landscapes of essential thrombocythaemia in adolescents and young adults.

Essential thrombocythaemia (ET) in adolescents and young adults (AYA, 15-39 years) is a distinct entity with an incompletely defined prognosis. In this multicentre retrospective study, 1728 ET patients from 29 centres across China were stratified into AYA (n = 328) and non-AYA (≥40 years, n = 1400) cohorts. We compared their clinical profiles, genomic landscapes, long-term outcomes and risk factors for progression to post-ET myelofibrosis (MF). AYA patients had fewer cardiovascular risks and lower thrombosis rates, but higher rates of extreme thrombocytosis. Molecularly, AYA patients were enriched for calreticulin (CALR) mutations, whereas Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) predominated in older patients. The burden of non-driver mutations (tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 [TET2], DNA methyltransferase 3A [DNMT3A], ASXL transcriptional regulator 1 [ASXL1], SH2‑B adaptor protein 3 [SH2B3]) was lower in AYA patients. Consequently, AYA patients achieved superior long-term outcomes across all key survival endpoints, including overall, myelofibrosis-free and leukaemia-free survival. Analysis of post-ET MF progression risks identified age-specific patterns: CALR mutations are enriched in younger patients and show an age-specific association with MF progression. AYA-ET constitutes a unique clinicomolecular subtype with a favourable prognosis, supporting age-stratified management. The enrichment of CALR mutations and their specific link to MF progression in young patients underscore the urgent need for targeted therapies against CALR-mutant clones.

adolescents and young adults (AYA)

Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis Among U.S. Young Adults Who Use Cannabis: Evidence From the 2021-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

PURPOSE: To estimate the prevalence of driving under the influence of cannabis (DUIC) and identify associated factors among U.S. young adult drivers reporting past-year cannabis use. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed pooled 2021-2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The analytic data were restricted to drivers aged 18-25 years who reported past-year cannabis use (N = unweighted 17,141; weighted N = 10,814,381). The outcome was self-reported past-year DUIC. Independent variables included demographics, substance use, mental health, cannabis-related perceptions, and driving behaviors. These relationships were assessed by modified Poisson regression. RESULTS: The weighted prevalence of DUIC was 28.0%, representing approximately over three million young adults. DUIC prevalence increased with cannabis use frequency, from 2.51 times higher among those using cannabis 12-49 days (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR]: 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.29-2.75) to 3.63 times higher among those reporting use on 300-365 days (APR: 3.63; 95% CI: 3.60-3.76), compared with those using cannabis 1-11 days. Cannabis use disorder (APR: 2.34; 95% CI: 2.06-2.65), simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use (APR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.28-1.30), and perceived easy cannabis availability (APR: 2.36; 95% CI: 2.33-2.39) were also associated with higher prevalence of DUIC. Nonenrollment in school and living in a state with a medical cannabis law were associated with lower DUIC prevalence. DISCUSSION: DUIC is highly prevalent among U.S. young adults who use cannabis, with a clear graded association across categories of cannabis use frequency. Public health interventions should address frequent use, cannabis use disorder, alcohol-cannabis co-use, and perceived cannabis availability.

Humans

Meningococcal carriage in adolescents and young adults in Kuwait.

BACKGROUND: Neisseria meningitidis is a major cause of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), with asymptomatic carriage playing a crucial role in transmission. Adolescents (15-17 years) and young adults (18-20 years) have the highest carriage rates, yet data from Kuwait remain limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of N. meningitidis carriage among adolescents and young adults in Kuwait. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2023 to May 2024, enrolling 1,398 participants aged 15-20 years. Randomly selected individuals provided oropharyngeal swabs, and demographic, behavioral, and vaccination data were collected via standardized questionnaires. Carriage prevalence was determined using selective culture-based methods. Whole genome sequencing was performed on culture-confirmed isolates. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics; carriage prevalence was reported as proportions, and associations were explored using Fisher's exact or chi-square tests and logistic regression where feasible. RESULTS: The overall meningococcal carriage rate was 0.21% (3/1,398). All isolates were non-groupable (NG), with one carrying the capsule null locus (CNL). Self-reported MenACWY vaccination coverage was 94.8%. No significant associations between demographic, geographic, or behavioral factors and carriage status were identified due to the small number of positive cases. CONCLUSION: This study provides a population-based estimate of meningococcal carriage among adolescents and young adults in Kuwait using a random sampling approach. The low carriage rate, alongside high vaccination coverage, suggests that existing immunization programs in Kuwait may be effective in reducing N. meningitidis transmission. However, the presence of NG strains stresses the need for continued surveillance. Further research is required to evaluate long-term vaccination impacts and potential gaps in disease protection.

Humans

Functional Reading Activities to Motivate and Empower: Maintenance of Reading Outcomes for Young Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Following a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: This study examined whether the effects of Functional Reading Activities to Motivate and Empower (FRAME), a functional, strategy-based reading comprehension intervention for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), were maintained 6 months following the completion of the intervention and explored participants' perceptions of the intervention's feasibility, relevance, and perceived impact. METHOD: Participants were 44 young adults with IDDs (ages 18-26 years) who participated in a previously reported randomized controlled trial (FRAME participants: n = 23; controls: n = 21). Trial outcomes were assessed via telepractice at pretest, posttest, and 6-month follow-up. Six-month maintenance analyses focused on outcomes that demonstrated significant posttest group differences: use of (a) reading comprehension strategies (proximal) and (b) reading comprehension questions (distal). Participant perceptions (social validity) were collected post-intervention from FRAME participants using a structured interview protocol with closed- and open-ended items. RESULTS: At the 6-month follow-up, FRAME participants demonstrated sustained but reduced improvements in strategy use relative to controls (p = .040). Between-groups differences were not maintained for reading comprehension questions (p = .091). Participants reported high acceptability and perceived relevance of FRAME, with qualitative themes reflecting perceived improvements in comprehension, self-improvement, and increased independence. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that FRAME supports sustainable gains in reading comprehension strategy use and is perceived as meaningful and feasible for young adults with IDDs, although additional supports may be needed to promote sustained improvements in distal comprehension outcomes. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.33307218.

Humans

Concerns about the consequences of cancer predisposition and relationships with quality of life in young adults with Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is an inherited condition associated with high multi-organ cancer risks from birth. Young adults (YAs; 18-39 years) with LFS experience psychosocial challenges that may negatively affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This study aimed to describe a specific psychosocial challenge, concerns about the consequences of LFS (CC-LFS), and investigate relationships among CC-LFS and HRQOL among YAs. An online survey assessed CC-LFS and HRQOL among YAs with LFS enrolled in a National Cancer Institute study. Regression analyses examined relationships between CC-LFS and HRQOL scores, adjusted for age, cancer, and history of mental health challenges. Of 37 total respondents (78% female; Mage&#x2009;=&#x2009;31 years), 51% had a cancer history. Many reported past mental health challenges, including emotional problems (70%), depression/anxiety disorders (68%), and suicidal ideation (43%). Mean scores for mental (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;65.8), physical (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;67.5), and general (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;63.9) HRQOL were lower than in the general population. Higher CC-LFS scores (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;31/50, SD&#x2009;=&#x2009;7.2) were associated with lower scores for each HRQOL domain. Adjusting for covariates, higher CC-LFS scores were associated with lower physical HRQOL (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;-0.491, 95% CI -0.76, -0.22, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001) and general HRQOL (&#x3b2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;-0.466, 95% CI -0.77, -0.16, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.004), but not mental HRQOL (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.102). CC-LFS accounted for significant proportions of unique variance in general (R2adj&#x2009;=&#x2009;17.7%, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.004) and physical HRQOL (R2adj&#x2009;=&#x2009;20.4%, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001). Findings suggest YAs with LFS may experience substantial concerns, mental health challenges, and diminished HRQOL. Concerns about LFS consequences appear to be a psychosocial risk factor that clinicians and researchers might address through targeted interventions to improve YAs' psychosocial health.

Humans

Eating Experiences During Cancer Treatment in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Synthesis.

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) aged 15-39 with cancer face distinct challenges during treatment, with eating consistently emerging as one of the most distressing and underrecognized concerns. At a critical life stage, AYAs must navigate illness-related consequences that profoundly affect well-being. Eating reflects these broader challenges and is identified as a key issue requiring health care attention. To address this, we synthesized evidence on AYAs' eating experiences and well-being during mealtime-related activities to inform health care practice. Qualitative and mixed-method studies were identified through searches across CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published up to May 2025, supplemented by snowball searches. Of 3214 records, 74 full-text articles were reviewed, and 18 met the inclusion criteria. These represented 302 AYAs, 73 relatives, and 88 health care professionals. Studies were analyzed using Joanna Briggs Institute review methods and GRADE-CERQual to support clinical interpretability. The meta-synthesis identified one core theme: "Eating as an embodied struggle and act of agency," with three subthemes: (a) living through physical and sensory disruption, (b) carrying the weight of new emotions and shifting relations, and (c) finding ways through gaps in support. Eating emerged as a disrupted, emotionally charged, yet agentic act requiring sensitive, individualized approaches. Thirteen evidence-informed recommendations were developed to guide clinical application. These emphasize early nutritional screening, dietetic support, flexible meal options, respectful family involvement, and psychosocially attuned care. Future research should codevelop and evaluate tailored interventions that address AYAs' embodied, emotional, and social needs to improve eating-related quality of life during cancer treatment.

Humans

Epigenetic signature of very low birth weight in young adult life.

BACKGROUND: Globally, one in ten babies is born preterm (<37 weeks), and 1-2% preterm at very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500&#x2009;g). As adults, they are at increased risk for a plethora of health conditions, e.g., cardiometabolic disease, which may partly be mediated by epigenetic regulation. We compared blood DNA methylation between young adults born at VLBW and controls. METHODS: 157 subjects born at VLBW and 161 controls born at term, from the Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults, were assessed for peripheral venous blood DNA methylation levels at mean age of 22 years. Significant CpG-sites (5'-C-phosphate-G-3') were meta-analyzed against continuous birth weight in four independent cohorts (pooled n&#x2009;=&#x2009;2235) with cohort mean ages varying from 0 to 31 years. RESULTS: In the discovery cohort, 66 CpG-sites were differentially methylated between VLBW adults and controls. Top hits were located in HIF3A, EBF4, and an intergenic region nearest to GLI2 (distance 57,533&#x2009;bp). Five CpG-sites, all in proximity to GLI2, were hypermethylated in VLBW and associated with lower birth weight in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: We identified differentially methylated CpG-sites suggesting an epigenetic signature of preterm birth at VLBW present in adult life. IMPACT: Being born preterm at very low birth weight has major implications for later health and chronic disease risk factors. The mechanism linking preterm birth to later outcomes remains unknown. Our cohort study of 157 very low birth weight adults and 161 controls found 66 differentially methylated sites at mean age of 22 years. Our findings suggest an epigenetic mark of preterm birth present in adulthood, which opens up opportunities for mechanistic studies.

Humans

In vitro development of Trichostrongylus axei, from infective larvae to young adults.

Advanced stages of Trichostrongylus axei were grown from exsheathed infective larvae in roller culture systems consisting of a complex cell-free medium, API-6, when used alone or supplemented for 8- or 21-day intervals with pepsin or reducing agents, or both. Young adult males and females were the most advanced stages attained. This stage was attained by days 18--21, when medium API-6 contained pepsin for 8 or 21 days, with or without reducing agents for the first 8 days; and by days 24--26, when medium API-6 was nonsupplemented. Trichostrongylus axei did not advance beyond early fourth stage or fourth molt when API-6 contained reducing agents for 8 or 21 days or reducing agents and pepsin for 21 days. The optimal culture system for development to young adults required medium API-6 supplemented with pepsin for 21 days and reducing agents for the first 8 days. This system produced maximal yields of less than 1% young adults in populations of about 100,000 T. axei by days 21--28.

Animals

Dose-effect relation of cholestryamine in children and young adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia.

Twenty children and young adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia (F.H.), on a diet low in cholesterol and high in polyunsaturated fats, were treated with cholestyramine in a metabolic unit to determine the decrease in plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (L.D.L.) cholesterol in relation to drug dosage, pretreatment concentrations of cholesterol and L.D.L. cholesterol, and body-weight. When the dose of cholestyramine was increased in thirteen patients by 1 g/day up to 16 g/day, given twice daily, cholesterol and L.D.L. cholesterol fell within the normal range in eleven subjects (average dose, 7 g/day), and the response was directly proportional (P less than less than 0-001) to the pretreatment concentrations of cholesterol (r = 0-89) and L.D.L. cholesterol (r = 0-93) but did not correlate with body-weight. Plasma total cholesterol and L.D.L. cholesterol continued to fall and concentrations reached a plateau after which additional cholestyramine had no further effect (average dose, 11 g/day). The L.D.L. cholesterol regression line successfully predicted the dose required to reduce L.D.L. cholesterol concentrations in seven other patients. There was a significant decrease in mean serum-folate in female patients. It was concluded that the minimum effective dose of cholestyramine in young patients with F.H. can be predicted from the pretreatment plasma total and L.D.L. cholesterol and may be given twice daily.

Administration, Oral

Young adults' relations with their grandparents: an exploratory study.

Some of the major aspects of the relationship between young adult grandchildren and their grandparents were examined. A sample of 269 undergraduate females, each with at least one living grandparent, responded to a survey instrument that assessed their current frequency of interaction and perceived emotional closeness with respect to each living grandparent. Results suggested that the grandparent's kin position relative to the grandchild was a critical variable, more so than the grandparent's sex, in influencing the intensity of the bond, Adult grandchildren tended to be significantly closer to maternal than paternal grandparents, and were significantly closer emotionally to the maternal grandmother than to each of the other grandparents. Also found was a wide variability among young adult grandchildren in their current involvement and emotional attachment to grandparents.

Adolescent

Interest holder-driven research priorities in sexual and reproductive health for migrant and refugee adolescents and young adults in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and prioritise sexual and reproductive health research priorities for migrant and refugee adolescents and young adults in Australia using a priority setting partnership approach. METHODS: A James Lind Alliance priority setting partnership was conducted with 92 interest holders: 31 youth from migrant and refugee backgrounds and 61 professionals (healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers and community leaders), recruited online and in-person. The priority setting partnership process included a rapid evidence scan, an online uncertainty survey, evidence verification, interim prioritisation and a final consensus workshop. RESULTS: Eighty-three research uncertainties yielded 11 final priorities across four sexual and reproductive health domains: sexual and reproductive health literacy, sexual violence prevention, accessible services and maternal health. A striking divergence emerged between youth and professional priorities only 3 achieved combined high-priority consensus. Youth prioritised a broader range of topics, including abortion access (rated high by youth but low by professionals), while professionals prioritised fewer areas. Two priorities achieved consensus: community-based maternal health support and barriers to reporting gender-based violence. CONCLUSION: This is the first priority setting partnership to identify sexual and reproductive health research priorities for migrant and refugee youth in Australia and to uniquely highlight substantial misalignment between youth and professional priorities. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: These identified priorities provide a foundation for targeted research, culturally responsive policy and more equitable sexual and reproductive health service provision for migrant and refugee adolescents and young adults.

Australia

[Psychosomatic study of duodenal ulcers in young adults in the military].

The authors report the relationship between psychological disturbances and duodenal ulcer, and discuss the conclusions of three studies carried out in military personnel. The group of young adults during war time, permitted them to analyse the role of psychological trauma in the onset and relapse of this disease. In young soldiers during peace time, there was significant affective immaturity. Finally, a study of young adults before call up, permitted comparison with military personnel. Rather than a study of specific characteristics, it appears that one should consider their dynamic organisation in order to understand the onset of symptoms.

Adaptation, Psychological

Intracardiac electrography in children and young adults.

The interpretation of IE recorded in children has been hampered by a lack of agreement regarding normal values. We recorded IE in 158 children and young adults (ages, three days to 33 years) to define the various conduction intervals in normal and disease states. The HBP was recorded in 156 subjects. In 85 subjects with normal conduction indicated by surface ECG, including 19 subjects with normal hearts, there were no statistically significant age-related differences in internodal, A-V nodal, or His-Purkinje conduction intervals. Therapeutic levels of digitalis did not alter the conduction intervals. In 11 subjects with first degree A-V block and in five subjects with congenital complete A-V block, the site of block as determined by IE could not be predicted from the surface ECG. No abnormalities in conduction intervals were found in 18 subjects with right bundle branch block (surgically induced in 17 cases). Intracardiac electrography with recording of the HBP was found to be a safe, informative technique for electrophysiologic investigations in children and young adults.

Adolescent