Pattern Of Psychoactive Substance Use Research Articles

Uso de substâncias psicoativas em alunos de um curso de Odontologia do estado do Ceará - instrumento DUSI-R

Analyzing the pattern of psychoactive substance use by dentistry students at the University of Fortaleza, as well as its relation to family and social aspects and its repercussions on academic performance. The research was conducted at the University of Fortaleza, targeting students regularly enrolled in the current year's dentistry course. The survey was carried out in April and May of 2016, covering all students from the first to the last semester of the course, with a total of 257 participating students. Data collection was conducted using the DUSI-R instrument, applied via Google Drive and remotely. Consumption of nearly all psychoactive substances was observed, although some only in small percentages. The most widespread drugs among the university students were non-prescription painkillers, at 68.3%, and alcohol at 61.4%, followed by marijuana at 7.5%, tobacco at 7.4%, and non-prescription tranquilizers at 6.7%. It was noted that, regarding alcohol consumption, 35.4% reported enjoying games that involve drinking when at parties. In terms of family relationships, 17.3% of the participants reported that their parents/guardians often argue with each other. Concerning academic performance, 18.8% of the participants reported having grades below average. The pattern of illicit drug use was present in the studied sample with direct repercussions on the academic process and possibly related to the family context.

IJCM_137A: A cross-sectional study to find out prevalence of alcohol, smoking and other substance abuse among adolescent in Raipur city, Chhattisgarh

Background: The use of various psychoactive substances such as alcohol, cannabis and opioids has been observed in India for centuries, the current dimension of the extent and pattern of psychoactive substance use and the problems associated with their use are not well-documented. Substance use estimates from 2004 indicate that tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs account for 8.7%, 3.8% and 0.4% of all deaths respectively, and 3.7%, 4.5% and 0.9% of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost respectively. National-level prevalence has been calculated for many substances of abuse, but regional variations are quite evident. Rapid assessment surveys have facilitated the understanding of changing patterns of use. Substance use among women and children are increasing cause of concern. Objective: To find out the prevalence of substance use among adolescentsat Raipur City C.G. Methodology: Study design: Community-based cross-sectional observational study. Study centre: Department of Community Medicine, Pt. JNM Medical College, Raipur Study area: Raipur city Study technique: Interview method Sample size: 300 Results: In the present study among 664 adolescents, 301 (45.3%) have a lifetime history of any type of substance abuse other than their medicinal use. The majority 53.5% and 26.8% belong to class II & III socioeconomic status as per the revised modified Prasad classification 2023. 39.5%, 17.6% and 5.7% of adolescents have a lifetime exposure to any form of Tobacco, alcohol & cannabis abuse respectively. Conclusion: In the present study, the prevalence of substance abuse is very high among adolescents and we found that 39.5% of adolescents are exposed to tobacco products while the Global Youth Tobacco Survey-4 (2019) estimates it was 18.1%.

Pattern of Psychoactive Substance Use and its Determinant Factors among Adolescents in Urban and Rural Communities in Abia State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Pattern of Psychoactive Substance Use and its Determinant Factors among Adolescents in Urban and Rural Communities in Abia State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Levels and patterns of substance use among school-attending adolescents in Rosario (Santa Fe-Argentina) during 2016, 2018, and 2019

ABSTRACT Objectives Psychoactive substance (PS) use is a public health problem that affects society in general and particularly adolescents. Therefore, knowing adolescents’ levels and patterns of PSs use is essential for developing public health policies. Methods During 2016, 2018, and 2019, a total of 1121 students (from Rosario-Argentina) were surveyed to evaluate their levels and patterns of use of alcohol, energy drinks, tobacco, and marijuana, among others. Results The results showed a decrease in the age of onset as well as in the risk perception of PS use, especially in 2018 and 2019. The reported reason for first use over the 3 years was “curiosity,” followed by “feeling good.” Moreover, the most consumed PSs (in order of preference) were alcohol, followed by energy drinks, tobacco, and marijuana. It was also found that more women reported consuming alcohol compared to men. Conclusions Interestingly, in terms of age at first use, it was found that adolescents tried energy drinks first, followed by alcohol, tobacco, and then marijuana. The decrease in the age of onset and the risk perception of the use of a PS and the pattern of use reported by adolescent students suggests the need to implement age-specific public prevention policies.

Pleasure, drugs, materiality and tensions in harm reduction in practice: The case of safer injection programmes

Drawing on ethnographies of a public health programme called ‘safer injection education’ (where people inject drugs under the supervision of harm reduction providers), this article explores how the materialities of drug use (such as paraphernalia and space) intersect with habitual behaviours and expectations. The article compares the diverse accounts of people who inject drugs with the biomedical knowledge of professionals to argue that people experience different forms of pleasure which challenge clinical understandings of addiction as driven by a desire to alleviate the pain of withdrawal symptoms. The analysis also critiques the assumption that people who use drugs are enslaved or unaware of their behaviours, showing instead that they are well aware of their patterns of psychoactive substance use and actively manage them in order to increase pleasure, and produce expertise and agency. During safer injection education sessions, people who inject drugs challenge normative assumptions and prescriptions on drug-related risks, and deploy practices and accounts that resonate with narcofeminist approaches, which produces solidarity between peers, social transformation and new forms of resistance to prohibitionist drug policy regimes and the pathologisation of drug use.

Psychoactive Substance Use Disorder in HIV-Infected Adolescents in Botswana: A Comparison Between the Congenitally Infected and Behaviorally Infected Adolescents.

Substance use is a major obstacle to preventing and managing HIV among adolescents, who account for 30% of new infections in many parts of the world, including Botswana. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of data on adolescent substance use, especially in the region. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the pattern of psychoactive substance use in adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV). It also aimed to compare and explore the pattern of substance use disorders and associated factors between congenitally infected adolescents (CIAs) and behaviorally infected adolescents (BIAs). Six hundred and thirty-four ALWHIV were interviewed using a sociodemographic questionnaire, the WHO drug questionnaire, and DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder. The participants' mean age (SD) was 17.69 (1.6) years, with a male predominance (n = 336, 53%), and the majority (n = 411, 64.8%) were CIAs. Alcohol was the most used substance among the participants, with 15.8% admitting to its current use. The BIAs were more likely to have SUD (χ2 = 17.2, P < .01), use more than one substance (χ2 = 20.3, P < .01), and more likely to use all psychoactive substances except for inhalants. In the CIAs, regular participation in religious activities was negatively associated with SUD (AOR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.17-0.77), while struggling with HIV status acceptance was positively associated with SUD (AOR = 2.54; 95% CI: 1.15-5.61) in the BIAs. This study showed a huge burden and similar pattern of substance use disorders among the ALWHIV in Botswana, as reported elsewhere. It also identified the dissimilarities between the BIAs and CIAs regarding substance-related issues and suggested the need for differentiated care.

Tobacco and alcohol consumption and health behaviors among nursing students

Objetive: To evaluate the association between attitudes, health behaviors, and the use of tobacco and alcohol among nursing students. Materials and method: Exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted with 182 undergraduate nursing students in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. Sociodemographic Information Form, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – C(AUDIT-C), Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Attitudes and Health Behaviors Questionnaire (AHBQ), and Patient Health Questionnaire – 2 (PHQ-2) were applied. Results: More than half of the students showed appropriate health behaviors and positive attitudes. Approximately 50% of the participants had consumed alcoholic beverages in the last month. Experimental use of illicit drugs and smoking were also observed. In addition, students who reported excessive alcohol use presented a deficit in self-care. Conclusion: The precariousness in health attitudes and behaviors identified in this study was associated with various patterns of psychoactive substance use. Thus, the results indicate the need for interventions aimed at promoting well-being and a healthy lifestyle in the university environment.

Drug consumption of suspected drug-influenced drivers in Hungary (2016–2018)

The hazard caused by driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) is determined by the time of consumption, dose and biological effects of a substance, as well as by synergistic drug interactions after multi-drug use. The aim of this work was to investigate the prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use of suspected DUID drivers and to present the advantages and disadvantages of the system currently used for determination of impairment in Hungary.Blood and urine samples, collected between 2016 and 2018, were taken from 2369 drivers with a positivity rate of 95% for at least one substance. Classical illicit drugs were detected in 76–87%, prescription medications in 9–15%, stimulant New Psychoactive Substances (sNPS) in 3–8%, and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) in 20–22% of the positive samples. The most frequent substances according to substance groups were: classical illicit drugs: cannabis (n = 1240), amphetamine and methamphetamine (AM/MA) (n = 753), MDMA (n = 196), and cocaine (n = 180), medicines: alprazolam (n = 188) and clonazepam (n = 83), sNPS: N-ethyl-hexedrone (n = 115), SCs: 5 F-MDMB-PINACA (n = 267), AMB-FUBINACA (n = 92) and ADB-FUBINACA (n = 90). The median age of classical illicit drugs users was 29 years, prescription medicine users were 33 years old, sNPS users were 28 years, and SC users were 26 years old. Compared to the previous two years, we found pronounced changes in the ratio of sNPS (14% decrease) and SC users (10% increase), and in the pattern of NPS consumption. The ratio of multi-drug use varied between 38% and 50%. 69% of drivers tested positive were deemed impaired. Impairment was determined according to impairment limits (80–82%), multi-drug use (12–13%), and the result of medical investigation when a single active substance with no set impairment limit was detected in the blood (6–8%). The results of medical investigations may be uncertain due to the long time delay between arrest and clinical examination and to the structure of medical investigations created for determination of alcoholic impairment. In conclusion, a revision of the current medical investigation protocol is warranted to standardize clinical symptom scores that better correlate with driving impairment.

Prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among government secondary school students in central Nigeria

INTRODUCTION: Psychoactive substances are chemicals that affect the nervous system and alter the activity in the brain. Such substances include alcohol and other illicit drugs. This research study is aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among students at a government secondary school in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. METHODS: this study adopts a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 104 students for an invitation to fill a semi-structured questionnaire after consenting to the informed consent. Correlational analyses were performed between social characteristics and the knowledge of the effects and prevalence of substance use. RESULTS: thirty three point seven percent of students reported to use psychoactive substances, with alcohol and tramadol being the most consumed. Those ageed 15-19 years were found to have a higher prevalence of substances use than other ages. There was an important knowledge of the social perspective and health effects of using such substances, but they persisted in their consumption. Age and school level were observed to have a statistically significant correlation with the knowledge of the effects of drug use. CONCLUSION: our study shows that the prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among the students are high considering their level and age. The majority of the students knew about psychoactive substance use and its social and health effects. We, therefore, recommend a multi-stakeholder effort within the community to curtail drug use among young people.

Prevalence and Pattern of Psychoactive Substance use among Senior Secondary School Students in Community Secondary School, Umuna, Orlu L.G.A

Psychoactive substance use among Secondary School Students has become an increasing public health problem in many countries. This study assessed the prevalence and patterns of psychoactive substance use among senior secondary school students of community secondary school, Umuna. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study in which a sample size of 231 students was selected using simple random sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire and data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and presented using tables. The study revealed that alcohol and tobacco were the most commonly abused substance. It also revealed that more than half (51.1%) of the respondents use substance on a daily basis and smoking and sniffing were the most common patterns used. Factors influencing substance use included; peer group pressure and family background. There is a psychoactive substance. It was recommended that Government should ensure the enforcement of anti-psychoactive substance laws and health workers should be trained on how to identify addicts, prevent, and treat victims of drug abuse.

Double trouble? A mixed methods study exploring experiences with combined use of anabolic-androgenic steroids and psychoactive substances among women

Concurrent use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and psychoactive substances (illicit drugs and alcohol) is found common in studies among men and involves a higher risk of adverse events than AAS use alone. However, women who use AAS represent an understudied group, and little is known about their pattern of psychoactive substance use and possible links to AAS use. The aim of this mixed methods paper is to a) examine lifetime and problem use of psychoactive substances and AAS, and b) explore experiences of AAS and psychoactive substance use including understandings of how these substances may be related among women with current or previous AAS use.Among sixteen women with current or previous AAS use, lifetime psychoactive substance and AAS use, AAS dependence and problem drug and alcohol use were assessed. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically within a biopsychosocial framework applying pharmacological agency; the concept of bodily surveillance of effect and the ability to handle substances instrumentally to feel oneselves/ones bodies better.Twelve participants reported lifetime substance use, where cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines were most commonly used. Substance use problems were found among eight participants; five had lifetime AAS-dependence and clinically significant drug and/or alcohol dependence scores, two had lifetime AAS dependence, and one had clinically significant drug dependence scores. Psychoactive substance use was experienced as unrelated to AAS use or it could be used to counteract side effects of AAS. On the contrary, AAS was used to cope with the bodily and emotional change following withdrawal from psychoactive substances and to counteract bodily effects of long-term substance use. Being in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment after detoxification with affected mental health, a passive lifestyle and experiencing a transition from having an emaciated body, gaining weight and becoming unfit, was experienced to motivate AAS initiation during treatment.The polysubstance nature of AAS use including use of psychoactive substances and risk of developing SUDs poses a significant health risk. Health professionals need to understand motivations for combined use of AAS and psychoactive substances among women to be able to prevent harms and address individual treatment needs.

Prevalence and correlates of substance use among undergraduates in a developing country

Psychoactive substance use is a major global public health issue. Use of psychoactive substances has been associated with negative consequences among students. The study assessed the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of psychoactive substance use among undergraduate students in a Nigerian university. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 763 undergraduate students of Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria, recruited using multi-stage sampling technique. Data on the socio-demographic characteristics and pattern of psychoactive substance use were collected using a structured questionnaire. The lifetime rate of psychoactive substance use was 84.5%. Alcohol had the highest rate of lifetime (82.5%) and 12-month (61.1%) use. There was a similar rate of lifetime use of psychoactive substances among males (86.1%) and females (83.4%). Age (p<0.05) and place of residence (p<0.05) were significantly associated with lifetime psychoactive substance use. Catholics (OR:1.43; 1.03 - 1.99), whose friend (OR:1.94; 1.39 - 2.71), roommate (OR:3.06; (1.62 - 5.78) or brother (OR:1.22; 0.77 - 1.93) uses psychoactive substances were significantly more likely to have used substances in the past 12-months. There is a high rate of psychoactive substance use among the students. Age, religion, place of residence, family and peer use of substances are important determinants of psychoactive substance use.

The Pattern of Psychoactive Substance Use among Undergraduates in the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Aim: This study set out to determine the extent of use, abuse and dependence of commonly abused psychoactive substances and their correlates among undergraduates in the University of Port Harcourt.&#x0D; Methodology: In a cross-sectional survey, using multi-stage sampling, undergraduates in the Social sciences faculty of the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria were selected. A semi-structured questionnaire adapted from the WHO student drug survey proforma was used as an instrument for data collection. The results were analysed using EPI-info 2000 statistical package.&#x0D; Results: There were 352 respondents with a mean age of 24.4 ± 3.5 years. There were 203 (57.7%) males and 149 (42.3%) females. A majority of respondents (90.6%) use at least one psychoactive substance while 22.2% of them abuse substances. The male sex predominated among the substance abusers with a M: F ratio of 2:1. The prevalence of current use for psychoactive substances ranged from 1.3% to 74.9%. Alcohol (74.9%), was the most commonly used psychoactive substances while heroin (1.3%), was the least used. Abuse rates were higher in cocaine, tobacco and cannabis (66.7%, 63.6% and 55.3% respectively) while dependency rates were higher in heroin, cannabis and cocaine (100.0%, 76.2% and 50.0% respectively). The top three reasons given for starting to use psychoactive substances were experimentation (23.1%), group conformity (23.1%) and curiosity (20.5%) while the reasons given for continuing to use/abuse these substances were to feel good (37.2%), relieve stress (20.0%) and avoid withdrawal symptoms (11.5%). The majority (70.5%) of psychoactive substance users started to use substances before enrolment into the university while more than half of the substance users (56.4%) admitted that being in the university did not increase their use of psychoactive substances. Adverse effects on productivity were noted in 60.3% of substance users.&#x0D; Conclusion: The tendency to abuse substances may begin earlier in childhood and adolescent ages, with the male sex, more vulnerable. More efforts at public enlightenment on the detrimental effects of psychoactive substances should be strategically targeted to include the family unit, primary and secondary school children.

Depression, distress and their association with patterns of psychoactive substance use during the COVID-19 emergency state in latvia

Introduction The WHO warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could have psychiatric consequences such as elevated levels depression, increased alcohol and drug use, and other behaviours that exert a strong influence on health. In Latvia a state of emergency was announced on March 12th, was extended twice and lifted on June 10th.ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of depression and distress in the general population of Latvia and association with substance use during the state of emergency.MethodsThe nationwide representative online study in the general population of Latvia was conducted in July 2020 during three week period. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to determine the presence of distress/depression. The structured questionnaire to determine psychoactive substance use was applied. Proportions of independent variables across the study groups were compared using Chi-square test.Results The study sample included 2608 respondents. The prevalence of depression and distress was estimated at 5.7% (95%CI 4.92 – 6.71) and 13.5% (95%CI 6.85 – 8.91), respectively. Patients with depression (28% vs. 7.4%, p &lt;0.001) and distress (30.9% vs. 7.4% p &lt;0.05) smoked more tobacco compared to respondents without distress/depression. Those with depression or distress were significantly more likely to consume more alcohol during the emergency state than people without depression or distress (14.0% and 17.7% vs. 6.6%, p &lt;0.001). The changes in the use of other psychoactive substances in those who had depression or distress were not statistically significant.ConclusionsPreparing support systems to mitigate mental health consequences is needed urgently.

Psychoactive substance use and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic

Background: There is obvious change in the pattern of psychoactive substance use in this part of the world. The habit which was previously prerogative of adult males has now been extended to women. Women of reproductive age group, including pregnant ones now engage in the use of psychoactive substances, thereby exposing them and their unborn babies to various risks and dangers. Objectives: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence rate of use of psychoactive substances among pregnant women attending clinic in a teaching hospital, in a North-eastern State of Nigeria. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey. The Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test questionnaires were administered to 320 pregnant women that came for antenatal care (ANC) by research assistants. Results: The prevalence of substance use among the respondents was 13.3%. Tobacco products in form of snuff and cigarette (34.7%), sedatives and over the counter sleeping pills (32.8%) were commonly abused substances. Opiates in form of tramadol and codeine-containing cough syrups were also common (14.0%). Proportions of respondents that consume alcoholic products were 12.4%, whereas the remaining percentages were for other substances such as cannabis and solvent. Fathers' uses as well as partners' uses of psychoactive substances were variables that were significantly associated with the substance use by pregnant women in this study. Conclusion: The proportion of pregnant women that uses psychoactive substances was high in this study, especially when the fathers or partners also abuse substances. Efforts should therefore be made to screen women coming for ANC to diagnose those with substance use habit and manage them appropriately.

Assessment of sleep disorders and use of psychoactive drugs among Polish students.

Sleep disorders in the form of insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness have their health and social consequences. The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of sleep disorders, quality of life and the pattern of psychoactive substance use among the students of Polish universities using CAVI method. The Athens Insomnia Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life were used. The study was conducted using anonymous and voluntary questionnaires distributed via the Internet. Most of the respondents (N = 5,342) were women (74%). A high percentage (>51%) of sleep disorders was found in women. Daytime sleepiness occurred in 28% of respondents, which correlated with sleep disorders. The use of psychoactive drugs is very common (94%) among Polish students of both sexes and (apart from alcohol) significantly affects the quality of life (p = 0.000). In the assessment of the psychoactive substance use pattern, the students of medical universities only slightly differ from students of other majors. The quality of life of people affected by sleep disorders is much lower than of the healthy student population. The great scale of the sleep disorder phenomenon and the use of psychoactive substances among Polish students require further exploration with particular emphasis on preventive and therapeutic activities.

Entre la invisibilidad y el estigma: consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en mujeres embarazadas y puérperas de tres hospitales generales de Argentina

The problematic consumption of legal and illegal substances in pregnant and postpartum women is a growing socio-sanitary concern that has infrequently been studied from a gender perspective. This article presents the results of a multi-center, cross sectional study employing a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach that was conducted between May 2018 and June 2019. The aim of this research was to describe the patterns of psychoactive substance use as well as access to healthcare services among pregnant and postpartum women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 62 women attending Bariloche, Concordia, and La Matanza General Hospitals. Results showed evidence of the taboo associated with psychoactive substance use among pregnant and postpartum women, the discrimination that these women experience in healthcare services, and their lack of material support, which makes it difficult for them to take care of themselves.

Use of psychoactive substances among patients presenting at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital.

Psychoactive substance use is frequently encountered in hospitals' emergency departments (EDs). It accounts for major health-care problems frequently leading to accident and ED admissions, yet it is frequently unidentified. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among patients presenting in the Accident and EDs and to compare the case detection rate of psychoactive substance use between self-report questionnaire and biochemical markers (e.g., urine toxicology). To achieve this, 200 consenting participants attending the accident and emergency unit of a tertiary hospital were consecutively enlisted into the study within 2 weeks. They were screened for psychoactive substance use with the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the urine drug test (UDT). The lifetime prevalence of psychoactive substance use was 45.5%, while the past 3 months (recent use) prevalence was 27.0%. The pattern of psychoactive substance use revealed that alcohol was the predominant psychoactive substance use with a lifetime prevalence of 13.0% and recent use of 12.0%. The UDT significantly detected more patients who used psychoactive substance compared to self-report (P < 0.001). The prevalence of drug use recorded among attendees of the accident and emergency unit was high in this study. The UDT significantly detected more patients who used psychoactive substances compared to self-report (P < 0.001). Several patients with major health problems as a result of psychoactive substance use were identified with the aid of these screening tools.

Psychoactive substance use and its predictors among commercial tricycle operators in Jos north local government area of Plateau State.

Background:According to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) around 243 million people, aged 15–64 consumed an illicit substance making this a public health problem of global dimensions with attendant physical, social, and psychological problems. Studies have shown that 59.5% of road traffic accident among commercial tricycle operator has been associated with the use of psychoactive substances. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the prevalence and pattern of psychoactive substance use and its predictors among tricycle operators in Jos north local government area of Plateau State.Methodology:This was a cross sectional study conducted among 220 commercial tricycle operators selected from a cluster of five operational units of Tricycle Riders Union using quantitative data collection instrument consisted of three sections through an interviewer’s administration method.Results:The mean age of the respondents in the study was 34 ± 10 years with the prevalence of current use of psychoactive substance being 43.2%. The predictors of psychoactive substance use were tertiary level of education (AOR = 0.06; 95% CI = 0.0074–0.4806) and family history of use of psychoactive substance (AOR = 3.30; 95% CI = 1.7164–6.3611).Conclusion:This study has demonstrated a high level of illicit psychoactive substance use among commercial tricycle operators with higher level of education negatively influence its use and a positive family history potentiating it.

Psychoactive substance use among outpatients with severe mental illness: A comparative study.

BackgroundDespite several studies on the prevalence and pattern of substance use in Nigeria, there is little information on substance use in patients diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) such as schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder (BD).AimThe aim of the study was to compare the pattern of psychoactive substance use among outpatients with BD and schizophrenia.SettingThe study was conducted in a neuropsychiatric hospital in Nigeria.MethodsSeventy five consecutive patients with a MINI-PLUS diagnosis of BD were compared with an equal number of patients obtained by systematic random sampling with a MINI-PLUS diagnosis of schizophrenia.ResultsThe respondents with schizophrenia were aged 18–59 years (37.2 ± 9.99) and were predominantly young adult (49, 65.3%), men (46, 61.3%), who were never married (38, 50.7%). Overall, lifetime drug use prevalence was 52%, while for current use, overall prevalence was 21.3%. Participants with BD were aged 18–63 years (36.7 ± 10.29) and were predominantly young adult (53, 70.7%), women (44, 58.7%), who were married (32, 42.7%), with tertiary education (31, 41.3%). Overall, lifetime drug use prevalence was 46.7%, while current overall prevalence was 17.3%. These rates (lifetime and current) for both diagnostic groups are higher than what was reported by the World Health Organization in the global status report of 2014 (0% – 16%). The statistically significant difference between the two diagnostic groups was related to their sociodemographic and clinical variables and psychoactive substance use.ConclusionPsychoactive substance use remains a burden in the care of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and BD. Future policies should incorporate routine screening for substance use at the outpatient department with a view to stemming the tide of this menace.