Coping with crack consumption

Abstract

In Brazil and in Latin American countries, since the end of the 1980's, information about crack consumption has been published and has recently resulted in the adoption of strategic measures by some governments and institutions, aiming to cope with and prevent its use.This drug consists of a mixture of basic cocaine paste with sodium bicarbonate.Its effects are that intense that users' behavior becomes exclusively centered on its consumption, forgetting about human needs like sleep, eating, sense of responsibility and survival.Nowadays, the use of care has been identified among adolescents, adults and elderly people. The usage styles and culture confront these people with countless risk situations, such as sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, violent acts, robberies and drug traffic.The implications of crack use represent an important problem for public health policies, for teaching and research about the clinical practice of healthcare professionals and particularly for nursing professionals, who are the most numerous categories in the health team.In Brazil, in 2010, the Ministry of Health established the Integrated Plan for Coping with Crack and Other Drugs, aiming for usage prevention, treatment and social reinsertion of users and professional training, departing from the premise that crack users are entitled to health and to reestablishing their life project. It is highlighted that this program also comprises coping with the traffic of other illegal drugs (1) .The plan proposes the structuring, expansion and strengthening of healthcare and social service networks for users of crack and other drugs, through the articulation between the Unified Health System -SUS' actions and those of the Unified Social Service System -SUAS, involving the participation of family members and attention to vulnerable publics, including children, adolescents and street populations.As regards professional preparation, the increasing availability of courses and training for health and education professionals is observed, as well as the introduction of contents about drug use in undergraduate programs in nursing and other health areas.In research, our main challenge is to "approximate scientific evidence to professional practice" (2) . Two important aspects need to be highlighted in this challenge. The first is the actual production of scientific evidence about our practice or our intervention. The second relates to how to turn practice into evidence in all professional practice contexts.What impedes or inhibits the transfer of useful knowledge to clinical nursing practice? Countless factors contribute to this challenging gap between theory and practice, including organizational and social processes in clinical contexts, the nature and level of evidence, the applicability and utility of the knowledge produced for clinical practice and the nurses' lack of knowledge and skills (3) . In that sense, we invite researchers who discuss the phenomenon of crack and other drugs to publish their research results in order to contri...

Motivation for Change in Men and Women Crack Addicts

“…Além do aspecto de gerar grande dependência devido ao intenso desejo de utilizar a substância, o crack provoca muitos prejuízos biopsicossociais. Dessa forma, além de colocar a vida do usuário em risco, é um problema de saúde pública relevante que necessita de investigação a fim de contribuir cientificamente para lidar com o uso e evitar o consumo de crack (Alves, Ribeiro, & Castro, 2011;Galera, 2013;Oliveira & Nappo, 2008).…”

Intergenerational Approach of Crack Users by Using Genograms

“…It is recognized that the crack is a new drug that has emerged since the late 1980s, not only in Brazil, but also in other Latin American countries [31]. As a relatively new product, of low cost and easy acquisition, crack has led to a change in drug use pattern, observed across generations genograms in this study.…”

A trajetória de usuários de crack para a situação de rua na perspectiva de familiares

“…Apesar de o álcool e o tabaco serem estatisticamente as drogas mais consumidas pela população, o uso de crack representa um sério problema em virtude das conseqüências individuais, sociais e familiares, e um desafio para as políticas públicas de saúde (SELEGHIM;OLIVEIRA, 2013;GALERA, 2013;MACHADO;MONTEIRO, 2013FISCHER et al, 2013. Portanto, entende-se que apesar de sua baixa extensão epidemiológica, a severidade e a significância de seu uso têm exigido ações de enfrentamento, seja no âmbito do tratamento, da prevenção e/ou da redução de danos (BASTOS, 2012;SANTOS;ACIOLI NETO;SOUZA, 2012;VOLCOV;VASCONCELLOS, 2013;ROMANINI;ROSO, 2012; NAPPO; SANCHEZ; .…”

“…Para a apreensão dessa realidade elegemos as lentes teóricas da abordagem sistêmica, a qual tem sido considerada a abordagem mais adequada para estudos envolvendo famílias com problemas de saúde, inclusive problemas de saúde mental, pois contribui para uma visão ampliada e uníssona do sistema familiar (KOZLOWSKA;HANNEY, 2002;GALERA;LUIS, 2002;COSTA; Deste modo é possível entender o mecanismo de regulação do sistema, que lhe confere autonomia (WIENER, 1961;VASCONCELLOS;GOMES et al, 2014 …”