Exploring the dual burden: Epidemiological, Family and Stakeholder Perspectives on Substance Use Disorders and Psychiatric Comorbidity among Adolescents and Young Adults

Research problem and questionsAddressing the dearth of research on substance use disorders and psychiatric comorbidity among Swedish adolescents and young adults is essential for improving the life opportunities of this population.

This research proposal seeks to fill current knowledge gaps by elucidating:1) The Epidemiological Landscape: This phase aims to establish a robust foundation for understanding the magnitude, onset and subsequent progression of psychiatric disorders and their impact on young people´s life-course trajectories. 2) The Family perspective: Understanding how families are affected, will contribute to developing a more holistic understanding of the support needs, and societal challenges. 3) The Stakeholder standpoints: Expanding upon our findings involves identifying gaps and opportunities for enhancing existing systems, which will be addressed through subsequent interviews with key stakeholders. 4) Informing Interventions: Synthesizing epidemiological and qualitative data to inform the development of comprehensive, family-inclusive strategies for prevention, intervention, and treatment, that address the unique needs of adolescents and young adults with psychiatric comorbidity, and their families.Data and method This research will utilize a mixed-methods design, combining our comprehensive register-linkage database called "Psychiatry Sweden" comprising the entire Swedish population, and semi-structured interviews with close relatives and key stakeholders.Relevance and utilizationThe significance and utilization of this research lies in providing actionable recommendations for optimizing prevention and healthcare interventions, improving the well-being of affected individuals, and their families.

The findings are expected to inform support services for individuals and families facing the challenges associated with psychiatric comorbidity, to better align systems with the needs of both individuals and societies.Realization The project will be conducted at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with Region Stockholm and Stockholm University.

Drawing on our collective experience, our interdisciplinary team has substantial expertise in psychiatric disorders, substance use, social epidemiology, clinical studies, and the various methodological approaches employed in the project.