Drug Use and Somatic Illnesses with Psychological Component: A Nation-Wide Survey among Adolescents and Adults in Greece

Abstract

A cross-sectional home survey on drug use, mental health, somatic illnesses and psychosocial issues was carried out with a nation-wide multi-stage probability sample of 4,292 persons aged 12-17, 18-24 and 25-64. This article aims at investigating the relationship of specific categories of somatic illnesses with a psychological component to the use of licit and illicit drugs. For the purpose of analysis the total sample was divided into three mutually exclusive groups: group A included respondents who have reported illicit drug use 1-3 or more times in their lives; group B comprised respondents who have reported the use of licit psychotropic drugs 3 or more times in their lives; group C included non-user respondents. A higher proportion of respondents of groups A and B of both sexes in all three age strata reported the presence of a specific somatic illness such as bronchial asthma, essential hypertension, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis or eczema, in comparison to group C (non-user) respondents. This difference was greater in the adolescent group 12-17 years of age. Possible explanations of the association between somatic illness with a psychological component and drug use are discussed.