Adult Siblings of Individuals with Substance Use Problems: Family Situation, Employment Status, and Healthcare Utilisation
Presenters:
Solveig Glestad Christiansen, PhD
Torleif Halkjelsvik, PhD – Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs, Norwegian Institute of Public Health
Chair: Jacqueline Carhoun – University of Sussex, England
Time: Tuesday, 23rd September 2025; 14:00 UK Time; 15:00 Norway, Germany; 16:00 Finland
Description:
Adult siblings of individuals with substance use problems represent a group of affected family members that has received less attention than others. Due to shared genetic and environmental factors, as well as challenges like competition for parental resources in childhood and the burdens of caretaking in adulthood, these siblings may face their own difficulties.
This webinar explores their life circumstances based on Norwegian administrative registry data. The analysis includes:
- Family situation (e.g., union status, parity)
- Labour market position (e.g., student status, employment, welfare benefits)
- Healthcare utilisation (e.g., consultations, hospital admissions)
Using substance use-related diagnoses in health registries from 2008 to 2018, we identified X(*) individuals with substance use problems and linked them to X siblings. Approximately X% of the Norwegian adult population are siblings of individuals with records indicating substance use problems. Across all domains, these siblings fare worse than those in the general population. Even after excluding siblings with any substance use-related health records (X%), substantial discrepancies remained.
(*): Analysis of these data is still ongoing. Final numbers will be presented at the Webinar.
Registration: TBA – Registration link will be provided closer to the event.