Can individual competence factors prevent adult substance and alcohol abuse in low- and high-income areas?

This study investigates the role of individual competence factors as modifiers of the risk for adult substance and alcohol abuse in relation to living in high- or low-income areas. The study group consisted of 7,577 18-year-old Swedish conscripts followed for substance and alcohol abuse until the age of 45 ears. Records of alcohol and substance abuse were obtained from official registers. In the 25-year follow-up period, 166 (2.2%) persons were identified as substance abusers and 286 (3.8%) as alcohol abusers. Subjects with many (from five to nine) behavioral risk factors and many (from four to five) competence factors had significantly less adult alcohol and substance abuse in low-income areas compared with those who had few competencies. This finding was also true for alcohol abuse in high-income areas. Experimentation with drugs and alcohol use before conscription was the most powerful risk factor for adult alcohol abuse and substance abuse in both income areas. The results of this study indicate that knowledge of competence factors is important in preventing abuse, especially among high-risk persons coming from low-income areas.