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This paper describes gambling problems among Ontario students in 2009 and examines the relationship between gambling problems and substance use problems, mental health problem indicators, and delinquent behaviors. Data were derived from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey of Ontario students in grades 7-12. Gambling problems were measured as 2 or more of 6 indicators of problem gambling. In total 2.8% of the students surveyed endorsed two or more of the problem gambling items. The odds of problem gamblers reporting mental distress was 4.2 times higher than the rest of the sample and the odds of problem gamblers reporting a suicide attempt were 17.8 times greater than the rest of the sample. In addition compared to the rest of the students, delinquent behaviors were also more common among problem gamblers, including theft (OR = 14.5), selling marijuana (OR = 19.6), gang fights (OR = 11.3) and carrying a handgun (OR = 11.2). In a multivariate analysis, substance-use problems, mental health problems, and the participation in a variety of delinquent behaviors remained significantly associated with youth problem gambling behavior. Students who report problem gambling behaviors show increased substance abuse, mental health, and delinquency/criminal problems that are similar to those seen among adult problem gamblers. The association between these problems suggests that these problems could be addressed in a unified manner.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of prescription medication misuse among adolescents with severe mental health problems in Ontario, Canada, and to explore some of the factors that influence the misuse of prescription medication. Data were obtained from the Resident Assessment Instrument for Mental Health. A total of 2,677 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years who were admitted into adult mental health beds were analyzed. Logistic regression was used in estimating the likelihood of misusing prescription medication. Overall, 17% of adolescent inpatients misused prescription medication. In the multivariate model, the following were found to be associated with misuse: being female, having multiple psychiatric admissions, education, threat or danger to self, problem with addiction, history of emotional abuse, use of alcohol, past year use of opiates and cannabis, as well as symptoms of depression. Misuse of prescription medication was less likely to occur among adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and adolescents who were admitted as a result of posing a threat or danger to others. Implications of the findings are discussed with suggestions for future research.

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This study examined outcomes with 170 children and youth admitted to residential treatment with complex mental health problems. Overall, outcomes at 2 years post-treatment was predicted by children and youth's behavioral pretreatment status reflected in lower internalizing and externalizing behavior at admission. These findings recognize a cluster of variables upon admission that are differentially predictive of specific outcomes. Higher school participation/achievement and an absence of witnessing interparental abuse predicted educational status. Family status was predicted at admission by higher family functioning, being younger in the family, and children and youth who had poor community behavior. The results are discussed as they relate to pretreatment screening and the need to evaluate service outcomes.

9 Abstract Although studies have identified social support as an important social deter-10 minant of health, few studies in Canada have actually examined the contributory role of 11 social support in understanding access to mental healthcare services. The objective of this 12 study was to examine the independent effect of social support on unmet mental healthcare 13 needs among adult Canadians after taking into account predisposing, enabling, and need 14 factors of the behavioural model of healthcare service use. This study uses data from the 15 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health. A sample of 3857 respondents 16 aged 20 years and older with some form of perceived mental healthcare needs was ana-17 lyzed using binary logistic regression with unmet mental healthcare needs as the outcome 18 variable. The study found that of the 3857 respondents, close to a third (31.9 %) had unmet 19 needs. Results from the binary logistic regression revealed that social support had a sig-20 nificant independent effect on unmet mental healthcare needs. For each one unit increase in 21 social support, the odds of a respondent having unmet needs were predicted to decease by a 22 factor of 10 % (AOR 0.90, p \ .001, 95 % CI 0.89-0.92), net the effect of predisposing, 23 enabling, and need factors. Other factors associated with having unmet mental health care 24 needs include: younger age, income, suicidal ideation, anxiety disorder, and adverse 25 childhood experience. It is important to develop mental healthcare policies and programs 26 that are appropriate and meet the needs of individuals with mental health-related problems 27 and who are without adequate social support.