G Hay1. 1. Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK. G.Hay@socsci.gla.ac.uk
Abstract
AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of opiate or benzodiazepine misuse in the Grampian Health Board area, Scotland and illustrate the use of the capture-recapture method in both rural and urban settings. DESIGN: Capture-recapture analyses on six distinct sources of data with unequal coverage of the geographical area. SETTING: Grampian Health Board area, including the City of Aberdeen. PARTICIPANTS: Data were collated from the Police, Social Work Departments, GPs contributing to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database, statutory drug agencies, a voluntary sector drug agency and a needle/syringe exchange. MEASUREMENTS: In total 1770 individuals were identified as misusing opiates or benzodiazepines and residing in the Grampian Health Board area; 1129 individuals were resident in the City of Aberdeen. FINDINGS: The total number of opiate or benzodiazepine misusers in the City of Aberdeen was estimated to be 2519 (95% CI 2048-3200). This figure corresponds to 2.0% (1.6-2.5%) of the population aged 15-54 years. In a town to the north of Aberdeenshire where high levels of heroin use had previously been reported in the media, 2.5% of the population aged 15-54 (1.8-3.8%) were estimated to be misusing opiates or benzodiazepines. CONCLUSIONS: Although there may be difficulties in applying capture-recapture methods in all settings, the methodology can give valuable information on the extent of drug misuse in both urban and non-urban areas. This information is particularly important to assess the spread of drug misuse from cities to rural areas.
AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of opiate or benzodiazepine misuse in the Grampian Health Board area, Scotland and illustrate the use of the capture-recapture method in both rural and urban settings. DESIGN: Capture-recapture analyses on six distinct sources of data with unequal coverage of the geographical area. SETTING: Grampian Health Board area, including the City of Aberdeen. PARTICIPANTS: Data were collated from the Police, Social Work Departments, GPs contributing to the Scottish Drug Misuse Database, statutory drug agencies, a voluntary sector drug agency and a needle/syringe exchange. MEASUREMENTS: In total 1770 individuals were identified as misusing opiates or benzodiazepines and residing in the Grampian Health Board area; 1129 individuals were resident in the City of Aberdeen. FINDINGS: The total number of opiate or benzodiazepine misusers in the City of Aberdeen was estimated to be 2519 (95% CI 2048-3200). This figure corresponds to 2.0% (1.6-2.5%) of the population aged 15-54 years. In a town to the north of Aberdeenshire where high levels of heroin use had previously been reported in the media, 2.5% of the population aged 15-54 (1.8-3.8%) were estimated to be misusing opiates or benzodiazepines. CONCLUSIONS: Although there may be difficulties in applying capture-recapture methods in all settings, the methodology can give valuable information on the extent of drug misuse in both urban and non-urban areas. This information is particularly important to assess the spread of drug misuse from cities to rural areas.
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