Predictors Of Illicit Drug Use Research Articles

Pattern of Psychoactive Substances Use among Long-Distance Truck Drivers in Nigeria

Aims: This study was designed to examine the pattern of psychoactive drugs use among long-distance truck drivers in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria.
 Study Design: This was a descriptive cross sectional study.
 Place and Duration: The study was conducted at the converging motor park for truck drivers in Ado-Ekiti, south-west Nigeria between September and December 2019.
 Methods: The pattern of psychoactive drugs use among 306 adult male truck drivers was determined using a semi-structured questionnaire in addition to a sociodemographic questionnaire. Data was analyzed and logistic regression was used to identify significant predictors of illicit drug use.
 Results: Among the 306 study participants, 43.7% consumed alcohol. The major non-prescription drugs used by the truck drivers were cough syrups (67.0%); analgesics (49.3%); cannabis (39.9%); amphetamine/methamphetamine (33.0%) and tranquilizers (32.0%). Opioid analgesics like tramadol (35.1%) and morphine (22.3%) were the commonly used analgesics. The predictor of psychoactive drugs use among the long-distance truck drivers is the co-use of alcohol and tobacco (AOR (1.71) 95% CI (1.24–2.36%).
 Conclusion: There is a high rate of psychoactive drugs use among truck drivers. There is an urgent need to educate the truck drivers on the adverse implications of illicit drug use and the need to abstain for better health promotion.

Have decreases in young workers' risky drinking resulted in an increase in illicit drug use?

Recent reductions in young people's risky alcohol use have been widely documented but have not been examined among employed youth. Young workers' risky drinking may have corresponded with increased illicit drug use. This study investigated these issues. Secondary analyses were conducted for 15-24year old Australian workers using nationally representative data from 2007 to 2016. Frequency analyses examined alcohol and illicit drug use, Z scores assessed differences over time, and logistic regression examined predictors of illicit drug use. Risky drinking decreased significantly over time whilst low-risk drinking increased. This pattern was observed for both young workers and young employed illicit drug users. Whilst "any" illicit drug use did not change over time, methamphetamine use decreased, and cannabis and hallucinogen use increased. Drinking alcohol at risky levels (monthly) was associated with illicit drug use in 2016, as were being single and having high/very high levels of psychological distress. Risky drinking reductions over time have not corresponded with increased illicit drug use. Nonetheless, as risky drinking remains high among young workers, and is strongly associated with illicit drug use, it warrants concerted health promotion efforts that may also help minimise illicit drug use. SO WHAT?: Despite a reduction in young workers' risky alcohol consumption, risky drinking is still high and may impact the health and safety of workers and the wider community. As risky drinking is strongly associated with illicit drug use, workplaces could potentially play a vital role in combating alcohol and illicit drug misuse.

A quantitative analysis of socioeconomics of illicit drug use for improving targeted interventions in Hong Kong

Illicit drug use is a critical and challenging issue globally, but there is a lack of thorough understanding of the underlying mechanisms of drug use, which is essential for policy interventions, in many threatened places. This study aims to explore the socioeconomic determinants of drug use to support policy design in Hong Kong and other regions with similar issues. Multiple linear regression models and fixed-effects models are employed to examine the socioeconomic determinants of drug use based on the most comprehensive data on drug use and population in Hong Kong from 1991 to 2016. The estimates show that demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are important predictors of illicit drug use. The highest rate of drug use is observed for people aged between 20 and 30, as well as for those with primary education. Compared with males, the female drug use rate is 15 (or 46) per 10,000 people lower for the newly (or previously) addicted cases. A 10% increase in monthly income is associated with a 14% drop in drug use rate at the district level. The average annual expenditure on drug use is USD 32.6 million in Hong Kong. Drug policies shall pay more attention to these at-risk groups, and shall consider more financial support to lower the drug use rates.

Working at heights: patterns and predictors of illicit drug use in construction workers

Employee drug use poses a serious risk to health and safety in male-dominated industries yet patterns and determinants of drug use in construction are not well understood. This study assessed prevalence rates and predictors of Australian construction workers’ use of cannabis, cocaine and meth/amphetamine. Workers (N = 511) completed a survey that assessed use of the three drug types; alcohol use; general health and mental health; job stress and the workplace cultural norms for each drug. Hierarchical binary logistic regressions examined predictors. Use of each drug over the past 12 months was two–five times higher than the national averages. Higher alcohol consumption was a consistent predictor across drug types and younger age and poorer general health were predictive of cannabis and cocaine use. Higher psychological distress was associated only with cannabis use. Workplace availability, descriptive and injunctive norms were significant predictors of cocaine use. The findings highlight concerning patterns of drug use in construction, particularly high levels of cocaine, with serious implications. The influence of cocaine workplace availability and norms highlight the importance of the workplace culture. Multi-component approaches involving culture change and individual-level responses that target vulnerable workers are required to minimize risk from drug-related harm.

Marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy in this day and age: A quantitative investigation of the “aging out” process

ABSTRACTObjective: Building upon the normalization literature, the present study tests the relationship between age and the use of marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy. The purpose of the research is to (1) evaluate whether age remains a strong predictor of illicit drug use and (2) to test the claims made by the normalization thesis about the extension of drug use into adulthood and the delay of the “aging out” phase of drugs.Method: The data for the study was retrieved from the 2015 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CTADS). The statistical method used in the study was logistic regression.Findings: The findings of the study suggest that age remains a relevant predictor of marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy use. While the findings suggested that 18–22 year olds have the highest likelihood of past-year recreational drug use, the models predicted that large proportions of Canadians in their twenties, thirties, forties, and even fifties have also used recreational drugs in the past year.Conclusions: The findings provide support for the normalization thesis’ claims about the extension of illicit drug use into adulthood and the delaying of the “aging out’ phase. Future studies are warranted to better understand the “aging out” process for recreational drug use.

Estudio comparativo de la percepción de la violencia familiar entre adolescentes, usuarios y no usuarios de drogas ilícitas

Introducción: La violencia en México se ha incrementado de manera sustantiva en lo que va del presente siglo, y el grupo familiar no ha quedado exento de este tipo de eventos, afectando principalmente a los adolescentes. Veracruz es uno de los estados en los que se ha registrado un incremento sustantivo de este tipo de violencia en el grupo familiar. Objetivo: Con el objetivo de explorar en estudiantes de telebachillerato usuarios y no usuarios de drogas ilícitas su percepción acerca de la violencia familiar, e identificar su relación con el uso de drogas. Método: se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal, correlacional, comparativo, en el que participaron 667 estudiantes del municipio de Alto Lucero de Gutiérrez Barrios, Veracruz, México. Resultados: 13.2% había usado alguna droga ilícita al menos una vez, 86.8% no había consumido. El grupo de usuarios de drogas ilícitas percibe en una proporción significativamente mayor eventos violentos entre hermanos, de padres a hijos, entre padres, y de hijos a padres. La violencia ejercida fue predominantemente física y psicológica. Discusión y conclusiones: La violencia entre hermanos resultó ser predictor del consumo de drogas ilícitas; lo que permite concluir que es un tema por considerar en la atención del grupo familiar en particular cuando hay hijos en la etapa de la adolescencia.

Predictors of illicit drug use among a national sample of adolescents

ABSTRACTBackground: Rates of illicit drug use are increasing among adolescents. This study was guided by Jessor’s problem behavior theory and explored the conceptual domains of risk factors for adolescent illicit drug use. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether sex, age, race/ethnicity, authoritarian parenting, negative school experiences, ever been treated for depression, or legal involvement predicted lifetime illicit drug use, past year illicit drug use, or past month illicit drug use among adolescents nationwide. Method: The present study was a secondary data analysis of the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health including 17,399 youth from 12 to 17 years of age nationwide. Results: Among adolescents, 25.3% reported using illicit drugs in their lifetime, 18.9% reported past year use, and 10.1% reported past month use. Predictors of lifetime illicit drug use were age, race/ethnicity, ever been treated for depression, authoritarian parenting, negative school experiences, and legal involvement. Predictors of past year and past month illicit drug use were age, ever been treated for depression, authoritarian parenting, negative school experiences, and legal involvement. Conclusions: A global approach targeting all problem behavior theory systems may reduce illicit drug use among adolescents nationwide. Recommendations for future studies are included.

Prevalence of illicit drug use at the end of pregnancy: a cross-sectional study at the time of birth.

Drug use during pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of consumption of drugs of abuse in pregnant women at the end of gestation. Cross-sectional study of all consecutive pregnant women in labor admitted to a regional hospital in Calella (Barcelona, Spain) in labor over one year (2014-2015). Women who gave written consent to take part in the study provided a urine sample on admission and completed a questionnaire with toxic-habit-related questions. The study population included 862 women, 721 (83.6%) of which agreed to participate. Of the 721 urine samples obtained, 719 (99.7%) were valid for analysis. The prevalence of drugs of abuse was 5.4% (N.=39). Cannabis was the most frequently detected substance. No participant tested positive for opioids. In the multivariate analysis, predictors of illicit drug use were history of more than two abortions, premature delivery, self-reporting of consumption during pregnancy, poor obstetric control during gestation, and consideration of vulnerable pregnant woman. Based on the β coefficients of these five factors, a scoring system for discriminating positivity or negativity of drugs of abuse in urine testing was calculated (area under the ROC 0.84). The prevalence of consumption of drugs of abuse at the end of pregnancy was 5.4%. A simple test based on five anamnestic variables is useful to discriminate women with positive and negative results of urine testing for drugs of abuse tested in this study.

Estrés psicosocial, estrategias de afrontamiento y consumo de drogas en adolescentes

The objective of this study was to compare the occurrence and intensity of psychosocial stress and coping strategies used by a group of illicit drug user’s students with another group of non-drug users, and to identify the presence of predictive factors associated to substance consumption (psychosocial stress, coping strategies and demographic characteristics such as age and sex). A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted, with an ex post facto design using quantitative methodology. A questionnaire was applied to 334 students of a public middle school. The substances of most commonly used were alcohol and tobacco; however, 9.3% of students had consumed illicit drugs at least once in their lifetimes. 97.7% of non-users of illicit drugs and 100% of drug users experienced at least one stressful event in the last year. The drug user group registered more stressful events in: personal, family, economic and health/accident areas. In the nondrug illicit user group, the area of social violence reported more occurrences, but less intensity compared to the drug user group. This last group showed more avoidance strategies for coping with stress (tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking). Two factors were identified as predictors of illicit drug use, age and tobacco smoking as coping strategy.

Predictors of Illicit Drug Use Among University Students in Northern Ireland, Wales and England

Introduction:The use of illicit drug/s among university students is a public health concern. Nevertheless, many UK studies investigated a narrow spectrum of variables to explore their association/s with illicit drug/s use.Methods:We assessed the associations between a wide range of socio-demographic, health and wellbeing variables (independent variables) and having used illicit drug/s regularly, occasionally or never in life (dependent variables). Data (3706 students) were collected from seven universities in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, using a self-administered questionnaire.Results:About 5% of the sample had regularly used illicit drug/s, 25% occasionally, and 70% never. Regular drug use (RDU) was significantly more likely among males aged 21-29 years, daily smokers, those with heavy episodic drinking or possible alcohol dependency (CAGE test), and those who perceived their academic performance better than their peers. RDU was less likely among students with high health awareness and those living with parents. The predictors of occasional drug use (ODU) were similar to those of RDU. However, in addition, students with higher perceived stress were less likely, and students who felt financial burden/s were more likely to report ODU, while no association with academic performance was found. Never use of illicit drug/s was inversely associated with most of the variables listed above, and was positively associated with religiosity. Illicit drug/s use goes along with other substance use (alcohol and smoking). The finding that illicit drug/s use was higher among students reporting good academic performance was surprising and raises the question of whether illicit drug/s may be used as performance enhancing drugs.Conclusion:The factors identified with illicit drug/s use in this study could be utilized to develop appropriate public health policies and preventive measures for the health of students. Multilevel, value based, comprehensive, and strategic long-term intervention plans are required. This could include social interventions aimed at generating recreations alternatives and opportunities for youth, and a critical review for current authorities’ interventions and services. Suggestions for coping with problems of campus illicit drug use/abuse also need to be offered.

Disentangling the Correlates of Drug Use in a Clinic and Community Sample: A Regression Analysis of the Associations between Drug Use, Years-of-School, Impulsivity, IQ, Working Memory, and Psychiatric Symptoms

Years-of-school is negatively correlated with illicit drug use. However, educational attainment is positively correlated with IQ and negatively correlated with impulsivity, two traits that are also correlated with drug use. Thus, the negative correlation between education and drug use may reflect the correlates of schooling, not schooling itself. To help disentangle these relations we obtained measures of working memory, simple memory, IQ, disposition (impulsivity and psychiatric status), years-of-school and frequency of illicit and licit drug use in methadone clinic and community drug users. We found strong zero-order correlations between all measures, including IQ, impulsivity, years-of-school, psychiatric symptoms, and drug use. However, multiple regression analyses revealed a different picture. The significant predictors of illicit drug use were gender, involvement in a methadone clinic, and years-of-school. That is, psychiatric symptoms, impulsivity, cognition, and IQ no longer predicted illicit drug use in the multiple regression analyses. Moreover, high risk subjects (low IQ and/or high impulsivity) who spent 14 or more years in school used stimulants and opiates less than did low risk subjects who had spent <14 years in school. Smoking and drinking had a different correlational structure. IQ and years-of-school predicted whether someone ever became a smoker, whereas impulsivity predicted the frequency of drinking bouts, but years-of-school did not. Many subjects reported no use of one or more drugs, resulting in a large number of “zeroes” in the data sets. Cragg’s Double-Hurdle regression method proved the best approach for dealing with this problem. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that years-of-school predicts lower levels of illicit drug use after controlling for IQ and impulsivity. This paper also highlights the advantages of Double-Hurdle regression methods for analyzing the correlates of drug use in community samples.

English

Adolescence is frequently regarded as a time of increased vulnerability to engaging in risky behaviors such as binge drinking, unsafe sexual activities, and illicit drug use. The present study examined risk perception and risk-taking behavior in older adolescents from two di erent perspectives, by examining temperamental and metamotivational predictors of likelihood of engaging in risky activities. A sample of 76 undergraduate students aged 17 to 19 years completed a questionnaire package that included the Motivational Style Profile, Rebelliousness Questionnaire, the short form of the Adult Temperament Questionnaire, and the expected risk and expected involvement subscales of the Cognitive Appraisal of Risky Events. Findings indicated that rebelliousness and e ortful control (i.e., ability to appropriately regulate attention and behavior) were strong predictors of expected involvement in risky behaviors, and that proactive rebelliousness was a particularly influential predictor of illicit drug use, risky sexual activities, aggressive and illegal behaviors, and risky academic and work behaviors. In addition, a number of significant correlations between temperamental variables and metamotivational dominance were observed, lending empirical support to reversal theory’s metamotivational constructs and their measurement.

Individual Differences as Predictors of Illicit Drug Use Among Turkish College Students

ABSTRACT Although the prevalence of drug use in the young adult population in Turkey is still far below the figures reported for most European Union countries and the United States, there seems to be a noteworthy increase in drug use, especially among high school and college students. The purpose of the present study was to examine the extent of drug use among college students in Turkey and to identify some of the individual-difference variables associated with drug use. Participants were 781 college students. A survey package including (a) measures of sensation seeking–risk taking, self-esteem, affectivity level, global mental health, overall life satisfaction, and the rate and nature of substance use and (b) demographic questions was administered to the participants during regularly held class meetings. A logistic regression analysis revealed that sensation seeking−risk taking, parental education level, smoking, and frequency of alcohol use predicted illicit drug experience. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed using the context of the study as a framework.

Prevalence and predictors of illicit drug use among school-going adolescents in Harare, Zimbabwe

To estimate the prevalence and predictors of illicit drug use among school-going adolescents in Harare, Zimbabwe. We used data from the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) conducted in 2003 in Harare to obtain frequencies of a selected list of characteristics. We also carried out logistic regression to assess the association between illicit drug use and explanatory variables. For the purpose of this study, illicit drug use was defined as marijuana or glue use. A total of 1984 adolescents participated in the study. Most of the sample were females (50.7%), 15-year- olds (30.3%), nonsmokers and non-alcohol drinkers. Nine percent of the subjects (13.4% males and 4.9% females) reported having ever used marijuana or glue. Males were more likely to have used marijuana or glue than females (OR=2.70; 95% CI [1.47, 4.96]). Marijuana or glue use was positively associated with cigarette smoking (OR=11.17; 95% CI [4.29, 29.08]), alcohol drinking (OR=7.00; 95% CI [3.39, 14.47]) and sexual intercourse (OR=5.17; 95% CI [2.59, 10.29]). Parental supervision was a protective factor for marijuana or glue use (OR=0.31; 95% CI [0.16, 0.61]). Public health intervention aimed to prevent marijuana or glue use among adolescents should be designed with the understanding that illicit drug use may be associated with other behaviors such as teenage sexual activity, cigarette smoking and alcohol use.

Tobacco use as a predictor of illicit drug use and drug-related problems in Colombian youth

Purpose To examine the extent to which personality and peer factors mediate the relationship between early cigarette use and later illicit drug use, as well as associated drug use problems, in a population of Colombian adolescents. Methods A longitudinal study (2-year interval), using face-to-face structured interviews was begun in 1996 using a community-based sample, randomly selected from census data in three cities in Colombia, South America. The participants were 2837 adolescents with a mean age of 15.0 (SD ± 1.6) years at time 1 (T1). Males comprised 52% of the sample and 65% resided with two parents. Approximately 78% (N = 2226) completed the second structured interview 2 years later (T2). The main outcome measures were marijuana use, other illicit drug use, and associated drug use problems at T2. Three series of logistic regressions were conducted. Results The odds of marijuana use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.64–2.01; confidence interval [CI]: 1.11–2.94), other illicit drug use (AOR = 1.77–2.49; CI: 1.03–4.19), and associated drug use problems (AOR = 2.25–3.47; CI: 1.45–5.26) at T2, was increased two- to three-fold among adolescents reporting cigarette use at T1, with control on the demographic, personality, and peer factors, as well as T1 drug use variables. Conclusions Earlier adolescent cigarette smoking was directly associated with later marijuana use, other illicit drug use, and problems with drug use.

A staging system to predict prognosis among methadone maintenance patients, based on admission characteristics

As U.S. general internists play an increasing role in providing opioid maintenance therapy in practice offices, they are having to face the challenge of identifying patients who need specialized services especially at the outset of treatment. In methadone maintenance treatment, prognostic studies have failed to find robust predictors on the basis of single predictive variables. We hypothesize that a multivariable staging system will predict treatment outcome more accurately than single variables. We reviewed baseline and treatment data regarding 226 consecutive patients admitted to a methadone maintenance program in New Haven, Connecticut, from January 1, 1993 to March 28, 1994, and followed until December 1, 1996. The staging system was developed from the data on the first 112 patients, confirmed in the remaining 114 patients, and then applied to the entire cohort of 226 patients. Retention was the main outcome measure used in developing the staging system. The staging system was also validated as a predictor of illicit drug use during treatment and adverse discharge. In the staging system one point is scored for each of the following: use of more than two bags of heroin daily, previous prison term, previous period in reform school, and a history of diseases related to substance use, e.g., endocarditis, hepatitis, abscesses, and overdose. The total score classifies patients as Stage I (0 and 1 points), Stage II (2 points), or Stage III (3 and 4 points). This staging system was significantly associated with retention in a proportional‐hazards model, and no other variable added any additional predictive influence. The specific stage was also found to be a significant predictor of adverse discharge. Although additional validation is necessary in other populations, we found the staging system to be a useful and simple way of identify ing patients at risk for early attrition and adverse discharge.

Tobacco, betel quid, alcohol, and illicit drug use among 13- to 35-year-olds in I-Lan, rural Taiwan: prevalence and risk factors.

This study determined the prevalence of and risk factors for substance use among rural Taiwanese. We used a survey of a representative sample of 6318 participants aged 13 to 35 years in I-Lan, Taiwan, in 1996 through 1997. Perceived use of illicit drugs by peers, tobacco smoking, betel quid chewing, and male gender were the strongest predictors of illicit drug use. The prevalence of illicit drug use ranged from 0.3% among those who did not use any other substance to 7.1% among those using tobacco, betel quid, and alcohol. Preventive measures should address substance use in general rather than aiming at single substances.

Drinking and smoking as concurrent predictors of illicit drug use and positive drug attitudes in adolescents

The study investigates the relationship between smoking and drinking, and the use of illicit drugs in a cohort of London adolescents. A high prevalence of drug experimentation and positive attitudes to illicit drug use were characteristic of those who both drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes on a regular basis. There was then a clear hierarchy in which lower prevalence of use and more negative attitudes marked those who only smoked, then those who only drank, while non-smokers and non-drinkers (the largest group) had lowest lifetime and recent drug use prevalence and the most negative attitudes about drug use.

Psychosocial risk factors associated with cocaine use during pregnancy: A case-control study

To investigate whether psychosocial risk factors predict cocaine use during pregnancy. We sampled 229 pregnant women from an urban prenatal clinic. Drug use ascertainment was based on self-report and urine toxicology, with 102 subjects classified as drug users and 127 as nonusers. A questionnaire measuring seven psychosocial risk factors was administered. The predictive relation between these characteristics and drug use was ascertained through multivariate analyses, controlling for potential sociodemographic confounders. Six of the seven psychosocial risk factors were significant predictors for this sociodemographic group. Women who used cocaine during pregnancy were more likely to have a family history of alcohol or drug problems, to have been introduced to drugs by a male partner, to be depressed, to have less social support, to have current partners who were substance users, and to have less-stable living situations. Both groups of subjects had high rates of childhood sexual abuse, but this alone was not predictive of drug use. In addition, cigarette smoking was a strong predictor of illicit drug use. Identification of multiple psychosocial risk factors has implications for the identification and treatment of substance-using pregnant women. Because cocaine users and nonusers did not differ in gestational age at entry into prenatal care, opportunities exist for intervention during pregnancy. Based on the study findings, evaluation of the following aspects of a patient's lifestyle can aid in the detection of cocaine use during pregnancy: smoking status, family history of alcohol or drug problems, and current drug use by a male partner.

Multiple predictors of illicit drug use in methadone maintenance clients

Many drug users in methadone maintenance treatment continue to use a variety of illicit drugs. The present study tested a hierarchical, multidimensional model to predict concurrent substance use in methadone maintenance clients. The model incorporated measures of demographics, personality, coping, motivation, and methadone beliefs. Subjects were 94 male and female injecting drug users in methadone treatment. Using multiple regression, results showed that a model incorporating all the predictors accounted for 51 % of the variance in self-reported drug use. The study highlights the importance of using multidimensional models to study the complex factors involved in drug use.