Alcohol use disorders were the most common diagnosis, followed by polysubstance use and cannabis use. On average, girls received a diagnosis at an earlier age than boys, and diagnostic patterns differed between the sexes.
Mortality rates were significantly higher than in the general population, particularly among children and adolescents and in cases of death due to external causes. The findings underscore the need for early detection and targeted interventions for young people with substance use disorders.
Two of the study’s authors, lead author Štěpánka Ptáčková and senior author Gabriela Rolová, have been affiliated with SERAF through a research collaboration with Svetlana Skurtveit and the POINT project.