Living with both parents is a less robust barrier to substance use than qualitative aspects of family life, particularly attachment to mothers. The latter is a robust inhibitor of substance use irrespective of regional differences in drug availability, weakening only in the face of more generally problematic behaviour. Perhaps because of their greater tendency to risk-taking or rule breaking, supervision appears more important for male than female drug use. These findings underscore the role of families, but especially that of mothers, in regulating the substance-related behaviour of young people.

Background: Rare diseases are individually rare, but collectively these conditions are common. Research on rare diseases are currently focused on disease-specific needs rather than a life-course perspective. The Rare Disease Research Partnership (RAinDRoP) was established in 2018 to bring together a wide variety of diverse voices in the rare disease community in Ireland and form a research partnership. Methods: A participatory multiple phase approach was used to identify research priorities for rare diseases. The research process involved three main phases: Phase I, Public Consultation Survey(PCS); Phase II, Research Prioritisation Workshop (RPW); Phase III, Public Prioritisation Ranking Survey (PRS). The time frame for the entire study was from November 2018 to June 2019. Results: In total, 240 individuals completed the phase I, of which only 96 survey participants provided information on their background,  32% (n=31) self-identified as a person living with a rare disease(s). One thousand and fifteen statements were collected, which reflected issues and shared challenges in rare diseases. MSExcel was used to gain frequencies and percentages. Phase II was focused on three main themes (1) Route to Diagnosis (2) Living with Rare Disease (3) Integrated and Palliative Care. 42 participants engaged at each workshop. Seventy-five individuals completed the phase III prioritisation ranking survey and ranked the top 15 research priorities.  The top five priorities were (1)Support at the time of diagnosis, (2) Diagnostic test for rare diseases (3)Education and training (4) Patient voice (5) Data sharing and integration of services for rare diseases. Conclusions: The research priorities identified here for rare diseases were developed jointly in collaboration with patients, families, healthcare professionals and policymakers. So, we encourage researchers, funding bodies and other stakeholders to use this priority list as a guiding document for future research work to improve the health and lives of people living with rare diseases.

This international study investigates factors underlying international variations in rates of youth drug use among representative samples of 15-year-olds in five cities (Bremen, n = 871; Dublin, n = 983; Groningen, n = 487; Newcastle upon Tyne, n = 880; Rome, n = 666). It reveals a higher level of drug use in English-speaking compared to continental populations. Drug use was associated with peer, family and individual factors. Logistic regression showed that family structure and sport were associated with lower rates and delinquent behaviour with higher rates of drug use in all cities and among males and females. Among males, city of residence also independently predicted drug use. The effect of traditional families and studiousness in reducing drug use was most evident for male drug use in low-use cities: higher rates of use in English-speaking cities appear partially due to the drug use of low-risk males.

This study reports the results of a comparative survey with representative samples of 3,386 school attending youths, most of whom were 15 years of age and residing in five European cities. We found significant but low correlations between the type of family structure (intact family, model family, dual career houshold, single mother) and five forms of deviant behavior (tobacco smoking, cannabis use, delinquency, general drug use and a composite risk behavior scale). These correlations will be displaced by very high correlations with the level of drug using friends/peers. A number of differences were found between the youth from different cities in relation to these concerns. Results indicate differences among the cities in terms of the youths' relationships with drug use/deviance/risky behavior and family structure, gender role, and peer group behavior. This suggests that the cultural meanings associated with family, gender role, peer group, and risk behavior influence deviant outcomes.

Background: The Rare Disease Research Partnership (RAinDRoP) was established in 2018 to bring together a wide variety of diverse voices in the rare disease community in Ireland and form a research partnership. This approach enabled clinicians, patients, carers and researchers to work together to identify top research priorities for rare diseases, which focused on a life-course perspective rather than a disease-specific need.                                                                                                           Methods: A participatory multiple phase approach was used to identify research priorities for rare diseases. The research process involved three main phases: Phase I, Public Consultation Survey on Research in Rare Diseases in Ireland (PCSRRDI); Phase II, Research Prioritisation Workshop (RPW); Phase III, Follow-up Public Consultation and Prioritisation Survey (FWPCPS). Results: In total, 240 individuals completed the phase I PCSRRDI, which comprised of a cross-section of health care professionals, researchers and people living with rare diseases. One thousand and fifteen statements were collected, reflecting issues and shared challenges in rare diseases. A shortlisting step by step was used to identify any statements that had received a total score of above 50% into 10-12 researchable questions or statements per the theme for the phase II workshop. Phase II was focused on three main themes: (1) Route to Diagnosis, (2) Living with Rare Disease, (3) Integrated and Palliative Care. In total, 62 individuals attended the overall workshop; 42 participated in the prioritisation sessions. A cross-section of health care professionals, researchers and people living with rare diseases were engaged at each workshop. Seventy-five individuals completed the final phase III public ranking by priority responses, and they ranked the top 15 research priorities defined by the multi-stakeholders at the phase II consensus meeting. Conclusions: This study identified priorities for rare diseases research aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of people living with rare diseases.