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Child maltreatment and substance abuse are both international public health priorities. Research shows that child maltreatment increases the risk for substance use and problems. Thus, recognition of this relationship may have important implications for substance demand reduction strategies, including efforts to prevent and treat substance use and related problems. Latin America and the Caribbean is a rich and diverse region of the world with a large range of social and cultural influences. To date, relatively little work has addressed the link between child maltreatment and substance use in the region. A working group constituted by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in June, 2010 identified this area as a priority area for a multinational research partnership. This paper summarizes existing information on drug use and child maltreatment in six participating countries, Colombia, El Int

This research provided evidence that adolescents with high interpersonal skills are less likely to participate in risky sexual behaviours. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing risky adolescent sexual practices might benefit from the inclusion of strategies to build interpersonal skills.

The high prevalence of substance abuse in Jamaica, highlights the need to understand the drivers of substance abuse. Experiencing psychological maltreatment (emotional abuse and neglect) during childhood has been suggested to be a risk factor for substance abuse. This study investigates the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and adult substance abuse among Jamaican university students. Three hundred and eighty two (382) university students were selected using systematic sampling techniques. They completed a Kessler Psychological Distress Scale questionnaire, as well as items selected from the Adverse Childhood Experiences and CICAD Drug Use questionnaires. 66.7% had experienced psychological maltreatment. Chi-square analyses identified a significant relationship between experiencing psychological maltreatment and substance abuse (p<0.05). This research provides evidence in support of a link between exposure to childhood psychological maltreatment and substance abuse in adulthood.

Introduction This study assessed associations of depression and anxiety with risk of OSA among Non-Hispanic Blacks in the Metabolic Syndrome Outcome (MetSO) study. Method 1,035 patients provided data for the analysis. ARES™ score ≥ 6 defined high OSA risk. Moderate depression was defined by a CES-D score ≥ 16. Moderate anxiety was measured by a BAI score ≥ 16. Results The mean age was 62 ± 14 years; 70% were female. 93% were diagnosed with hypertension; 61%, diabetes; and 72%, dyslipidemia; 90% were overweight/obese; 33% had a history of heart disease and 10% had a stroke. Logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age and gender, showed that patients with depression had nearly a two-fold increased odds of being at risk for OSA (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.02–2.98, p < .05). Patients with anxiety had a three-fold increased odds of being at risk for OSA (OR = 3.30, 95% CI = 2.11–5.15, p < .01). After adjusting for marital status and income, patients with anxiety had a 6% increase in OSA risk (OR=1.06, 95% CI= 1.04–1.09, p<.05) but depression was no longer significant. Conclusion Our results suggest that Non-Hispanic Blacks with metabolic syndrome who experience anxiety and/or depression should be screened for OSA.

ABSTRACT:This study seeks to illuminate the relationship between family relations, peer influence, spirituality and drug use among students in one university in Kingston, Jamaica. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to collect quantitative data from 335 undergraduate university students, using self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 335 students (69 % male and 31% female) between the ages 18-24 years. 77.6 % of the sample reported drug use within the past year. A significant positive correlation was identified between past year cannabis use and having dysfunctional and stressful family relationships (p<.05); and negative correlations between past year alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use and positive peer influence (p<.05) as well as higher levels of spirituality (p<.01). A connected family relationship was a protective factor against cannabis use, while positive peer influence and high levels of spirituality are protective factors against alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use among the students who participated in this study.DESCRIPTORS: Street drugs. Family relations. Friends. Spirituality. RELACIONES FAMILIARES, INFLUENCIA DE PARES, ESPIRITUALIDAD Y CONSUMO DE DROGAS ENTRE ESTUDIANTES EN UNA UNIVERSIDAD EN KINGSTON, JAMAICARESUMEN: Este estudio busca clarear la relacion entre las relaciones familiares, la influencia de los pares, la espiritualidad y el uso de drogas en estudiantes de una Universidad en Kingston, Jamaica. Es un estudio de corte transversal utilizando datos cuantitativos de 335 estudiantes del pregrado, utilizando un cuestionario llenado por los estudiantes. La muestra fue compuesta de 335 estudiantes (69% sexo masculino y 31% sexo femenino) entre las idades de 18-24 anos. Los 77.6% de los estudiantes de la muestra informaran ter utilizado drogas en el ano anterior. Una correlaccion positiva fue identificada entre el uso de cannabis en el ano anterior y tener una relacion familiar disfunccional y estresante (p<.05); y correlaciones negativas entre el uso en el ano anterior de alcohol, fumar e cannabis y positive para influencia de pares (p<.05), bien como para niveles alto de espiritualidad (p<.01). Una relacion familiar buena fue un factor protetor contra el uso de cannabis, encuanto la influencia positiva de pares y alto nivel de espiritualidad fueran factores positivos contra el uso de alcohol, fumar, y cannabis entre estudiantes que participaran en la investigacion. Family relations, peer influence, spirituality and drug use among... RELAÇÕES FAMILIARES, INFLUÊNCIA DOS PARES, ESPIRITUALIDADE E USO DE DROGAS ENTRE ESTUDANTES DE UMA UNIVERSIDADE EM KINGSTON, JAMAICARESUMO: Tem por objetivo analisar as relações familiares e a influência dos grupos de amigos, a espiritualidade e o uso de drogas em estudantes de uma Universidade en Kingston, Jamaica. É um estudo de corte transversal, utilizando dados quantitativos de 335 estudantes de graduação, utilizando um questionário. A amostra de 355 estudantes teve 69% do sexo masculino e 31% do sexo feminino, entre as idades de 18-24 anos. ...

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