scholarly journals Risk factors of illicit substance use among Tunisian adolescents of Sousse

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
H Ghali ◽  
S Bhiri ◽  
A Ben Cheikh ◽  
S Khefacha ◽  
M Tourki Dhidah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
Illicit Substance Use ◽  
Illicit Substances

Abstract Background and aims Adolescence is a period of physical, psychological and socio-cultural transformation, but also of curiosity, experimentation and acquisition. It is mainly during adolescence that people are introduced to the use of legitimate psychoactive substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, as well as illicit substances such as cannabis. Studying its predictors could help deal with this problem more efficiently. We aimed to determine the prevalence of life time illicit substance use and its predictors among Tunisian adolescents. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in two public schools in the governorate of Sousse during the 2017/2018 school year. The data were collected by anonymous self-administered questionnaire, then processed and analyzed using the SPSS software version 20. Results A total of 294 students were included. The mean age was of 17.03 years (standard deviation = 1.51). Females represented 56.1% of participants (sex ratio was 0.78). Among respondents: 60 (20.4%) had used illicit substance at least once. Cannabis was the main substance used by 35 (58.3%) students. The average age of the illicit substance use initiation was 16.3 (±1.1) years while it was 15.7 (±1.5) and 14.7 (±1.8) years for alcohol and tobacco use initiation respectively. Proportions of male students and academic failure were significantly more important among illicit substance users than among non users. While the most influential factors on illicit substance use were: alcohol use, and tobacco use (p < 10-3). However, no significant association was found between illicit substance use and video games and internet use. Conclusions This study highlights the strong association between the other risk behaviors and illicit drug use. Future interventions should focus on the whole risk behaviors simultaneously at late adolescence with regard to the environmental context. Key messages Our results highlight the need to better understand behaviors at risk in Tunisia and the perceptions of prevention policies among students. Mainly during adolescence that people are introduced to the use of illicit substances.

Illicit substance use among Tunisian college students: prevalence and risk factors

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zedini Chekib ◽  
Nawel Zammit ◽  
Limam Manel ◽  
Mellouli Menel ◽  
Meriam Elghardallou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Academic Failure ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
Illicit Substance Use

Abstract Background Illicit substance use among college students represents one of the most complicated social problems. Studying its predictors could help deal with this problem more efficiently. Aims To determine the prevalence of life time illicit substance use and its predictors among Tunisian college students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in five colleges in the region of Sousse, Tunisia in the 2012–2013 school year. A sample of 556 college students responded to an anonymous self-administrated questionnaire. Collected data concerned socio-demographic characteristics and substances use. Results The mean age of students was 21.8 ± 2.2 years. Females represented 51.8% of participants. Among respondents: 31 (5.6%) had used illicit substance at least once. Cannabis was the main substance used by 26 (4.7%) students. The average age of the illicit substance use initiation was 19 (±2.5) years while it was almost 17 (±3) years for both tobacco and alcohol use initiations. Proportions of male students and academic failure were significantly more important among illicit substance users than among non users. While the most influential factors on illicit substance use were: alcohol use, tobacco use and low socioeconomic level. Conclusion This study highlights the strong association between the other risk behaviors and illicit drug use. Future interventions should focus on the whole risk behaviors simultaneously at late adolescence with regard to the environmental context.

scholarly journals Recreational Drug Using Behaviour and Legal Benzylpiperazine Party Pills

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katherine Anne Bryson Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Potential Outcomes ◽  
Recreational Drug ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
Illicit Substance Use ◽  
Related Harm ◽  
Party Pills ◽  
Illicit Substances

<p>Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a stimulant drug that produces effects similar to amphetamines (Campbell, Cline, Evans, Lloyd, & Peck, 1973). It has been sold legally in New Zealand in the form of 'party pills' since 2000. The legal status of BZP party pills has been debated in New Zealand as the media reported cases of apparent overdoses and adverse reactions leading to hospitalization (Brogden, 2005; Crewdson, 2007; Reiber, 2005; Rankin, 2006). Representatives of the BZP party pill industry publicly defended their product claiming that BZP party pills were reducing substance related harm by reducing illicit substance use (Bowden, 2007b, p.1). They also claimed that banning BZP would result in an increase in use of illicit substances, especially methamphetamine or 'P' (Barnett, 2007). The overall aim of this thesis is to test the claims that BZP party pills reduce substance related harm by reducing illicit substance use, and to identify potential outcomes of a BZP party pill ban. In addition, the perceived risks of party pill and other drug use will be examined. In chapter one I review key concepts relating to BZP party pill use: recreational drug use, harm reduction, and risk perception. In chapter two the history and New Zealand context of BZP party pills are reviewed. In chapter three, study one qualitatively analyzes BZP party pill marketing material in an attempt to describe the culture and discourse promoted by the BZP party pill industry. This analysis demonstrated that BZP party pills were primarily marketed as part of a recreational drug using culture. In chapter four, study two quantitatively investigated whether BZP party pill use was associated with reduced levels of illicit substance use in a sample (N=796) of first year university students. This study also examined the relationship between risk perception and frequency of substance use. Study two demonstrated that BZP party pill users are generally recreational poly-drug users who used illicit substances equally as often as illicit users who did not use BZP party pills. BZP party pills did not appear to reduce illicit substance use, and therefore harm. For the majority of substances there was no significant relationship between risk and use behaviour. The legal status of substances appeared to be important when participants rated the risks of use. Legal substances (including BZP) tended to be rated as safer than illegal substances. In chapter five, study three qualitatively analyzed 60 interviews with regular BZP party pill users to identify potential outcomes of a BZP party pill ban. A combination of alternatives were likely to be used by BZP party pill users, primarily illicit substances, especially ecstasy, as well as alcohol, and black market BZP. However methamphetamine (P) was an unpopular alternative. Study three also analyzed how BZP party pill users assess the costs and benefits of BZP party pill use. Decisions to use BZP party pills relied heavily on the benefits of use, rather than the costs. In chapter six, the general discussion describes the implications, ethical considerations, limitations, and outcomes of the research.</p>

scholarly journals Licit and illicit substance use by adolescent students in eastern India: Prevalence and associated risk factors

2010 ◽  
Vol 01 (02) ◽  
pp. 076-081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dechenla Tsering ◽  
Ranabir Pal ◽  
Aparajita Dasgupta
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
School Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
Adolescent Students ◽  
Illicit Substance Use ◽  
Associated Risk Factors

ABSTRACT Background: Use of tobacco, alcohol, and other substances is a worldwide problem and aff ects many adolescents. Objective: (1) To fi nd out the magnitude of licit and illicit substance use among students; and (2) to fi nd out the association between socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the students and habits of use. Materials and Methods: This was a population-based cross-sectional study conducted during June 2003 to May 2004. In a multistage random sampling among all the districts and schools in West Bengal, India, 416 high school students from two schools were selected. The main outcome measures were substance use, namely, tobacco, alcohol, and cannabinoids. From the schools, all the students in the classes VIII, IX, and X were taken as the study population and were administered a pretested close-ended anonymous self-administered questionnaire relating to pattern, frequency, and correlates of substance use. Results: The ultimate response rate was 87.02% and 416 students could be covered in our study. The overall prevalence rates among rural and urban students were 6.14% and 0.6% for illicit drug use, 8.60% and 11.04% for tobacco, and 7.37% and 5.23% for alcohol consumption, respectively. Both licit and illicit substance use was associated more with male students. Current and regular use were mostly restricted to tobacco, and the use of a substance by family members had a signifi cant impact on its use by their children. “Enjoyment” and “Curiosity” were found to have the major infl uence in their decision to use a substance. Conclusions: Early identifi cation of the magnitude and the factors related to substance use can improve scopes for planning and preventive approaches for this vulnerable group before the problems get serious after which interventions become diffi cult.

scholarly journals Panic disorder and psychoactive substance use in primary care

2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 113-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andressa Jacondino Pires ◽  
Camila Corrêa Casanova ◽  
Luciana de Avila Quevedo ◽  
Karen Jansen ◽  
Ricardo Azevedo da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Panic Disorder ◽  
Dual Diagnosis ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Psychoactive Substance ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
Illicit Substance Use ◽  
Substance Involvement

Objective: To identify the association between panic disorder and licit and illicit substance use in the population provided with primary care in the southern Brazil. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with patients from three primary care centers. We used the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) to evaluate substance use and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to diagnose panic disorder. Results: A total of 1,081 subjects were evaluated. The prevalence of panic disorder was 5.6%. Panic disorder was associated with using marijuana (p = 0.001), tobacco (p = 0.001), cocaine (p < 0.001), and other illicit substances (p < 0.001). Conclusion: A significant association is noticed between panic disorder and licit and illicit substance use, thus, it is interesting to rethink the approach to treatment/intervention in patients with dual diagnosis.

Tobacco use: the main predictor of illicit substances use among young adolescents in Sousse, Tunisia

2018 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nawel Zammit ◽  
Jihen Maatoug ◽  
Rim Ghammam ◽  
Sana Bhiri ◽  
Hassen Ghannem
Keyword(s):  
Risk Behaviors ◽  
Tobacco Use ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Young Adolescents ◽  
Psychosocial Characteristics ◽  
Current Cigarette Smoking ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
School Year ◽  
Current Cigarette ◽  
Illicit Substances

Abstract Introduction Early adolescence is a critical period usually associated with experimentation with illicit substances. In Tunisia few studies explored these risk behaviors among young adolescents. Aims To evaluate the prevalence and the predictors of the use of illicit substances among the young adolescents of Sousse. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in the region of Sousse, Tunisia during the 2013/2014 school year among 4272 schoolchildren in 16 public middle schools. Data about psychosocial characteristics and risk behaviors among the schoolchildren, their parents, their siblings and their friends were collected anonymously using a self-administrated questionnaire. Results Females represented 50.5% of participants. The mean age of schoolchildren was 13.3 (±1.2) years. Lifetime illicit substances use prevalence was 2.9% [confidence interval (CI) 95%: (2.4%–3.4%)] and lifetime use of tobacco prevalence was 12.9% [CI 95%: (11.9%–13.9%)]. The age of tobacco onset was significantly younger to the age of experimentation with illicit substances. Insomnia, sadness and illicit substances use among peers were associated with illicit substances use among participants. While the most influential risk factor on illicit substances use was current cigarette smoking with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 7.2 [CI 95%: (4.5–11.2)]. Conclusion A national substances use prevention program should be implemented in the schools of Tunisia with an emphasis on tobacco use prevention.

scholarly journals Recreational Drug Using Behaviour and Legal Benzylpiperazine Party Pills

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Katherine Anne Bryson Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Potential Outcomes ◽  
Recreational Drug ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
Illicit Substance Use ◽  
Related Harm ◽  
Party Pills ◽  
Illicit Substances

<p>Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is a stimulant drug that produces effects similar to amphetamines (Campbell, Cline, Evans, Lloyd, & Peck, 1973). It has been sold legally in New Zealand in the form of 'party pills' since 2000. The legal status of BZP party pills has been debated in New Zealand as the media reported cases of apparent overdoses and adverse reactions leading to hospitalization (Brogden, 2005; Crewdson, 2007; Reiber, 2005; Rankin, 2006). Representatives of the BZP party pill industry publicly defended their product claiming that BZP party pills were reducing substance related harm by reducing illicit substance use (Bowden, 2007b, p.1). They also claimed that banning BZP would result in an increase in use of illicit substances, especially methamphetamine or 'P' (Barnett, 2007). The overall aim of this thesis is to test the claims that BZP party pills reduce substance related harm by reducing illicit substance use, and to identify potential outcomes of a BZP party pill ban. In addition, the perceived risks of party pill and other drug use will be examined. In chapter one I review key concepts relating to BZP party pill use: recreational drug use, harm reduction, and risk perception. In chapter two the history and New Zealand context of BZP party pills are reviewed. In chapter three, study one qualitatively analyzes BZP party pill marketing material in an attempt to describe the culture and discourse promoted by the BZP party pill industry. This analysis demonstrated that BZP party pills were primarily marketed as part of a recreational drug using culture. In chapter four, study two quantitatively investigated whether BZP party pill use was associated with reduced levels of illicit substance use in a sample (N=796) of first year university students. This study also examined the relationship between risk perception and frequency of substance use. Study two demonstrated that BZP party pill users are generally recreational poly-drug users who used illicit substances equally as often as illicit users who did not use BZP party pills. BZP party pills did not appear to reduce illicit substance use, and therefore harm. For the majority of substances there was no significant relationship between risk and use behaviour. The legal status of substances appeared to be important when participants rated the risks of use. Legal substances (including BZP) tended to be rated as safer than illegal substances. In chapter five, study three qualitatively analyzed 60 interviews with regular BZP party pill users to identify potential outcomes of a BZP party pill ban. A combination of alternatives were likely to be used by BZP party pill users, primarily illicit substances, especially ecstasy, as well as alcohol, and black market BZP. However methamphetamine (P) was an unpopular alternative. Study three also analyzed how BZP party pill users assess the costs and benefits of BZP party pill use. Decisions to use BZP party pills relied heavily on the benefits of use, rather than the costs. In chapter six, the general discussion describes the implications, ethical considerations, limitations, and outcomes of the research.</p>

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