Key Health Risk Behaviors

Key Findings of Health Risk Behaviors among Young Adults with Spina Bifida in Arkansas

Arkansas teens and young adults with spina bifida exhibit unhealthy behaviors that continue as they age into their late 20s. These unhealthy behaviors may include eating less healthy diets, smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, using illegal drugs, and substance abuse. Nearly 90% of those aged 16-31 from Arkansas had a doctor visit in the year prior to the survey, indicating that the potential for screening and counseling for health risk behaviors and depression is large. These findings highlight the need to increase awareness and offer mental health screenings and professional counseling to those affected by spina bifida.

Each year about 1,500 babies are born with spina bifida. Individuals with spina bifida live longer now than ever before because of advances in medical science and care. At least 75% of children born with this birth defect can be expected to reach their early twenties.

The findings reported here are based on a study of individuals with spina bifida who participated in a survey conducted by the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission in 2005. This is the first population-based study to examine health risk behaviors among young adults with spina bifida in Arkansas. The results were published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology.

Physical activity and diet

1. Compared with young adults from the general population, young adults with spina bifida tend to eat less healthy diets, do less exercise, and engage more frequently in sedentary activities such as watching television for long hours.
2. Young adults with spina bifida were three times more likely to report being overweight as adolescents with spina bifida.

Substance abuse

1. Overall and at any age, substance abuse among young adults with spina bifida was lower than that reported for the Arkansas general population.
2. Substance use was higher among adults with spina bifida aged 25-31 years compared to younger age groups (16-19 and 20-24 year olds).
3. Alcohol drinking and history of illegal drug use increased significantly with age among those affected by spina bifida.

Depression

1. About half of the study population with spina bifida experienced mild or major depressive symptoms, independent of age.
2. Those who experienced major depressive symptoms were nearly five times more likely to report drinking alcohol as those who did not experience these symptoms.
3. The frequency of depressive symptoms among those with spina bifida (48%) was higher than the frequency estimated for people aged 18 to 34 years from the general population (10%).