Mental health and the use of alcohol, tobacco, analgesics and vitamins in a secondary school population.

A survey of mental health in relation to patterns of alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceutical drug use and reducing diets was carried out in six Hobart high schools and matriculation colleges. A response rate of 89% was achieved, yielding a sample of 2,419 teenagers. Psychiatric disorder was assessed by the 60-item General Health Questionnaire. A statistically significant association was found between the probability of psychiatric disturbance and the use of alcohol, cigarettes, analgesics, vitamin supplements and weight-reducing diets.