Changes in time-use and drug use by young adults in poor neighbourhoods of Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina, after the political transitions of 2001-2002: Results of a survey

Diana Rossi,Samuel R Friedman,Graciela Touzé,Melissa Bolyard,María Pawlowicz,Pedro Mateu-Gelabert,Milagros Sandoval,Dhan Zunino Singh

doi:10.1186/1477-7517-8-2

Diana Rossi, Samuel R Friedman + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7517-8-2

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Abstract

BackgroundIn some countries, "Big Events" like crises and transitions have been followed by large increases in drug use, drug injection and HIV/AIDS. Argentina experienced an economic crisis and political transition in 2001/2002 that affected how people use their time. This paper studies how time use changes between years 2001 and 2004, subsequent to these events, were associated with drug consumption in poor neighbourhoods of Greater Buenos Aires.MethodsIn 2003-2004, 68 current injecting drug users (IDUs) and 235 young non-IDUs, aged 21-35, who lived in impoverished drug-impacted neighbourhoods in Greater Buenos Aires, were asked about time use then and in 2001. Data on weekly hours spent working or looking for work, doing housework/childcare, consuming drugs, being with friends, and hanging out in the neighbourhood, were studied in relation to time spent using drugs. Field observations and focus groups were also conducted.ResultsAfter 2001, among both IDUs and non-IDUs, mean weekly time spent working declined significantly (especially among IDUs); time spent looking for work increased, and time spent with friends and hanging out in the neighbourhood decreased.We found no increase in injecting or non-injecting drug consumption after 2001. Subjects most affected by the way the crises led to decreased work time and/or to increased time looking for work--and by the associated increase in time spent in one's neighbourhood--were most likely to increase their time using drugs.ConclusionsTime use methods are useful to study changes in drug use and their relationships to every day life activities. In these previously-drug-impacted neighbourhoods, the Argentinean crisis did not lead to an increase in drug use, which somewhat contradicts our initial expectations. Nevertheless, those for whom the crises led to decreased work time, increased time looking for work, and increased time spent in indoor or outdoor neighbourhood environments, were likely to spend more time using drugs. These data suggest that young adults in traditionally less-impoverished neighbourhoods may be more vulnerable to Big Events than those in previously drug-impacted impoverished neighbourhoods. Since Big Events will continue to occur, research on the pathways that determine their sequelae is needed.

Highlights

In some countries, “Big Events” like crises and transitions have been followed by large increases in drug use, drug injection and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS
Socio-economic political transitions in Russia, other former Soviet Union states, and Indonesia were followed by severe economic disruption, alienation of youth, growth of injection and non-injection drug use, sexual risk behaviours, female sex work, and a number of epidemics including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
Changes in Time Use and Drug Use among Non-injecting drug users (IDUs) Women use drugs less than men, but when we analysed the change in time using drugs among those non-IDUs who reported some drug use, we found no significant differences between men and women (p = .864)

Summary

Introduction

“Big Events” like crises and transitions have been followed by large increases in drug use, drug injection and HIV/AIDS. Socio-economic political transitions in Russia, other former Soviet Union states, and Indonesia were followed by severe economic disruption, alienation of youth, growth of injection and non-injection drug use, sexual risk behaviours, female sex work, and a number of epidemics including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. The Argentinean Big Events involved large-scale increases in unemployment and poverty, leading to factory seizures, highway blockages by the unemployed and their allies, and eventually widespread massive demonstrations in which middle class, working class, the unemployed, the poor and students drove four successive presidents from office in less than two months. Popular unrest led to mass road blockades and protests by the unemployed, seizures of factories and other workplaces by workers, and to the ousting of four presidents from December 2001 to early 2002

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