Uso de substâncias lícitas e ilícitas por adolescentes: um estudo longitudinal

Abstract

This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the use of licit and illicit drugs by adolescents in Belo Horizonte, the incidence of binge drinking (consuming 5 or more drinks of alcohol on a single occasion) and its association with social capital, religiosity, family factors and socioeconomic conditions. The sample consisted of 891 adolescents of both genders, aged 15 to 19 years, enrolled in public and private schools in Belo Horizonte city. Data collection was performed through three self-administered questionnaires delivered to adolescents in the classroom: the Integrated Questionnaire for Measuring Social Capital (SC-IQ), the Screening Test for Involvement with Alcohol, Cigarette and Other Substances (ASSIST) to evaluate the risk of drug use and the Test for Identification of Problems Related to alcohol Use (AUDIT C), which assesses the risk of alcohol consumption. The socioeconomic classification was determined by the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) according to the residential address of each participant and the parents' schooling. Religiosity and alcohol consumption by parents were assessed by questions from previous papers. The dependent variable in the baseline data was "lifetime use of illicit drugs" was defined by the first question in ASSIST questionnaire: Have you ever used any illicit drugs (marijuana, inhalants, hypnotics, cocaine/crack, hallucinogens, amphetamines and opioids) in your life?. The baseline data aimed to evaluate the association between illicit drug use and socioeconomic factors and types of groups of friends. Descriptive, bivariate and multiple logistic regression were performed. The significance level was 5.0%. The prevalence for lifetime illicit drug use was 15.2%. Living in areas with the best conditions (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1:86-2.89) and participation in groups consisting of friends of the opposite sex (OR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.03-2.85) was associated with higher odds of illicit drug use. Participants who reported that their most important groups of friends came from church (OR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.20-0.68) and from sports/culture (OR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.32-0.98) had decreased odds of illicit drugs use in comparison to those whose best friends were from school. The adolescents were followed for a period of two years. However, only those who at baseline were aged 15 to 17 years of age that could be found enrolled in the same schools (n = 436). The longitudinal study was to evaluate the incidence of binge drinking and its association with parental alcohol consumption, socioeconomic factors and religiosity. The dependent variable "change in frequency of alcohol consumption" was based on a combination of the responses of adolescents in 2010 and 2012 as the variable "binge drinking" is categorized as reduced intake, unaltered intake and increased intake. Factors associated with the reduction of alcohol consumption were analyzed considering those adolescents who did not change and increased consumption as a reference. The independent variables were determined by combining the responses in 2010 and 2012. Descriptive analysis, bivariate and ordinal logistic regression analyzes were performed. The significance level was 5.0%. The incidence of binge drinking was 17.2%. The increase and the decrease in the frequency of binge drinking among participants were 22.0% and 14.0%,respectively. A greater chance of decreasing binge drinking among adolescents was associated with residing in a more vulnerable area (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.09-2.43), attending religious services on a weekly or daily basis in comparison to monthly basis (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.02-1.81) and having a mother who did not consume alcoholic beverages (OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.01-2.53). It was concluded that both prevalence of lifetime illicit drug use and binge drinkings incidence was high for this sample. Have better socioeconomic status was a factor that contributed to the lifetime illicit drugs use and binge drinking by adolescents. Being part of groups of friends from church or sport/cultural activities seems to be a protective factor for lifetime illicit drug use. The most frequent participation in religious events and absence of alcohol consumption by mothers of adolescents who participated in this study also seems to be protective factors to increase frequency of binge drinking.