Recently, adolescent substance abuse in Korea has emerged as a new public health concern, driven by the increasing non-medical use of prescription drugs and expanded access to substances through the digital environment. Given these changes, it is nece...
Recently, adolescent substance abuse in Korea has emerged as a new public health concern, driven by the increasing non-medical use of prescription drugs and expanded access to substances through the digital environment. Given these changes, it is necessary to examine the interaction between traditional gateway risk behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and smartphone overdependence, which has become a prominent digital risk factor among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the effects of smoking, drinking, and smartphone overdependence on substance abuse among Korean adolescents and to examine whether smartphone overdependence moderates the relationships between smoking, drinking, and substance abuse. Ultimately, this study sought to provide foundational evidence for comprehensive substance abuse prevention strategies.
This study analyzed data from 52,873 middle and high school students who participated in the 19th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey(2023), a nationally representative self-administered survey. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29.0, applying complex sample chi-square tests and complex sample logistic regression analyses. To examine moderating effects, interaction terms for smoking×smartphone overdependence and drinking×smartphone overdependence were included in the regression models, and subgroup analyses were conducted according to smartphone overdependence status.
In this study, substance abuse was defined as the habitual or intentional use of specific drugs or substances for non-therapeutic purposes. The results showed that adolescents with substance abuse experience had significantly higher rates of smoking, drinking, and smartphone overdependence compared to those without such experience. Gender, school level, perceived household economic status, family cohabitation status, perceived stress, depression, loneliness, subjective health status, smoking, drinking, and smartphone overdependence were identified as significant factors associated with adolescent substance abuse. Smartphone overdependence demonstrated a moderating effect only in the relationship between current smoking and substance abuse. Notably, the effect of smoking on substance abuse was stronger among adolescents in the non-overdependence group than among those in the smartphone overdependence group.
These findings suggest that adolescent substance abuse is closely linked to changes in the digital environment and highlight the need for a more nuanced understanding of the relationships between digital environmental characteristics and substance use behaviors. Furthermore, the results underscore the importance of a multi-layered approach to substance abuse prevention that simultaneously addresses traditional risk behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, and digital-based risk factors. This study provides empirical evidence to support the development of integrated educational, nursing, and policy interventions aimed at preventing substance abuse among adolescents.