Illicit drugs and their association with tobacco and alcohol use in adolescents and young schoolchildren: DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.202044349357

• Main Author: Vanessa Barros de Oliveira, Jéssica
• Publication Date: 2020
• Other Authors: Cappato de Araújo, Rodrigo, Barreto Cunha, Samara, Mola, Rachel, Carolina Rodarti Pitangui, Ana
• Format: Article
• Language: por; eng
• Source: O Mundo da Saúde (Online)
• Download full: https://revistamundodasaude.emnuvens.com.br/mundodasaude/article/view/974
• topic: Comportamento do adolescente. Drogas ilícitas. Comportamento de risco. Tabaco. Bebidas Alcoólicas.; Adolescent behavior; Illicit drugs; Risk behavior; Tobacco; Alcoholic beverages.

The use of psychoactive drugs is generally preceded by the use of alcohol and tobacco, increasing the potential to causedamage to the health and quality of life of adolescents and young adult students. The aim of the present study was todetermine the prevalence of illicit drug use and its association with the use of tobacco and alcohol in adolescents andyoung schoolchildren in the city of Petrolina, PE. This was an epidemiological, school-based, descriptive, correlational,and cross-sectional study, carried out in state public schools, with students aged 12 to 24 years old. A socioeconomicsurvey and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) were applied to assess risk behaviors. Descriptive analysis, Chi-squaredtest and Poisson regression were performed to assess the Prevalence Ratio (PR). In all analyses, a significance level of p<0.05 was adopted. 1,326 students were evaluated. Of the total eligible students (n=1,275), 12.9% reported having usedan illicit drug during their lifetime. In the regression analysis, the use of illicit drugs was associated with tobacco use (PR2.95 [1.94-4.50]), binge drinking (PR 2.13 [1.42-3.18]) and higher maternal education (PR 1.69 [1.12-2.55]). The useof illicit drugs had an important prevalence and was significantly associated with the use of tobacco, episodes of bingedrinking and with the level of maternal education.