OBJECTIVES: Based on an epidemiologic field survey of community households in Puerto Rico, this study estimates the frequency of illicit drug use and clinically defined drug abuse and/or dependence syndromes. Results are compared with those from surveys on the United States mainland. Suspected risk factors are studied as well, with a special focus on childhood misbehavior. METHODS: Trained lay interviewers administered a Spanish Diagnostic Interview Schedule to 912 respondents aged 17 to 68 years who were selected by multistage probability sampling of island households. RESULTS: An estimated 8.2% of the population had a history of illicit drug use and 1.2% qualified for a standardized lifetime diagnosis of drug abuse, dependence, or both. An estimated 18.4% of the male drug users and 7.7% of the female drug users met criteria for drug abuse and/or dependence. A history of drug use was related to the diagnoses of alcohol abuse and/or dependence and antisocial personality, but few persons who had used illicit drugs at least once in their lifetime reported a history of receiving treatment for alcohol, drug, or mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: The data were consistent with a suspected association between level of childhood misbehavior and occurrence of illicit drug use, even after statistical control for potentially confounding variables.
OBJECTIVES: Based on an epidemiologic field survey of community households in Puerto Rico, this study estimates the frequency of illicit drug use and clinically defined drug abuse and/or dependence syndromes. Results are compared with those from surveys on the United States mainland. Suspected risk factors are studied as well, with a special focus on childhood misbehavior. METHODS: Trained lay interviewers administered a Spanish Diagnostic Interview Schedule to 912 respondents aged 17 to 68 years who were selected by multistage probability sampling of island households. RESULTS: An estimated 8.2% of the population had a history of illicit drug use and 1.2% qualified for a standardized lifetime diagnosis of drug abuse, dependence, or both. An estimated 18.4% of the male drug users and 7.7% of the female drug users met criteria for drug abuse and/or dependence. A history of drug use was related to the diagnoses of alcohol abuse and/or dependence and antisocial personality, but few persons who had used illicit drugs at least once in their lifetime reported a history of receiving treatment for alcohol, drug, or mental health problems. CONCLUSIONS: The data were consistent with a suspected association between level of childhood misbehavior and occurrence of illicit drug use, even after statistical control for potentially confounding variables.
Authors: H R Bird; G Canino; M Rubio-Stipec; M S Gould; J Ribera; M Sesman; M Woodbury; S Huertas-Goldman; A Pagan; A Sanchez-Lacay Journal: Arch Gen Psychiatry Date: 1988-12
Authors: Mildred M Maldonado-Molina; Linda M Collins; Stephanie T Lanza; Guillermo Prado; Rafael Ramírez; Glorisa Canino Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2007-04-14 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: K R Merikangas; K P Conway; J Swendsen; V Febo; L Dierker; W Brunetto; M Stolar; G Canino Journal: J Epidemiol Community Health Date: 2009-01-15 Impact factor: 3.710
Authors: Elizabeth J Santa Ana; Kathleen M Carroll; Luis Añez; Manuel Paris; Samuel A Ball; Charla Nich; Tami L Frankforter; Lourdes Suarez-Morales; José Szapocznik; Steve Martino Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2009-04-24 Impact factor: 4.492