Circumstances of substance use by street youth in Egypt support the case for intervening to prevent adverse childhood experiences

Abstract

Background: Egyptian street youth use substances including tobacco, illicit drugs, and pharmaceutical drugs. To understand the circumstances, including adverse childhood experiences, that place adolescents at risk for engaging in substance use, we conducted in-depth interviews among a sample of Egyptian street children. Methods: From youth residing at or attending Caritas, a non-profit organization, which provides shelter and education to street youth, seven girls and twelve boys, aged 12 to 18 years, participated in open-ended, in-depth interviews. Results: Eight out of the 19 participants reported family history (early exposure) to substance use; and seven of them were initiated by either a family member (sibling), friend or coworker. Most of the participants reported a history of conflict with or abuse (verbal or physical) by their parents or siblings, or stressful situations at home; they used substance(s) to alleviate their stress. Few attended school, and some were forced to work and help their family. Conclusions: Among Egyptian youth, adverse childhood experiences, such as poverty, child abuse, and family substance use, challenge somewhat susceptible youths and lead them to the path of substance use and addiction. Prevention intervention should be multifaceted, culturally adaptable, and primarily targeting the social environment during childhood.

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The Effectiveness of Life Skills Training on Assertiveness, Self-Esteem and Aggressive Behavior among Patients with Substance Use Disorders

“…This may be related to many factors as genetic mutations, as alterations of the brain structure, within the same context, people could also be genetically more likely to exhibit problems like impulsivity, executive dysfunction, and poor emotion regulation skills that will increase their risk for using substances. This result was congruent with Amr et al,(2019), who reflected that (42.4%) of street youth reported positive family history of substance use. Also, Rabie et al, (2020), reported that male and feminine students had a positive family history of nicotine, cannabis, and benzodiazepine use.…”

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