Factores asociados al consumo frecuente de marihuana en jóvenes antes de su ingreso a centros juveniles de diagnóstico y rehabilitación en Perú

Abstract

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the world, especially among young people. This study is relevant to policy makers because it expands the knowledge regarding drug use in vulnerable youth, allowing health authorities to reduce marijuana consumption via educational, family, and governmental strategies and policies. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of frequent marijuana consumption and its associated factors in young people before admission to juvenile detention centers in Peru. The data was taken from the 2016 National Population Census of the Youth Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Centers in Peru. The final sample was made up of 1,848 people with ages between 14 and 22 years old, with a median age of 17 (95.6% males). The variable frequent marijuana consumption was defined as the use of marijuana at least once a week, prior to entering the center. The main factors associated with frequent marijuana use were male sex, running away from home before the age of 15, physical abuse during childhood, having a family member who consumed alcohol or drugs frequently, and the presence of criminal gangs in the housing area. Additionally, it was found that living with parents up to a specific critical age decreases the probability of frequent use of marijuana in young people. These results could aid the development of strategies and public policies that help prevent the consumption of marijuana and other drugs from an early age.

Family and social environment associated with traits of antisocial personality disorder in the prison population of Peru

“…A recent study published by Al-kassab et al, reported a high frequency of marijuana use in youth diagnostic and rehabilitation centers in Peru. Despite not having found an association between the drug-related variables in our study, the population of young inmates will eventually form part of the older prison inmates, which highlights the importance of studying the effect of the high frequency of marijuana use and the personality in a critical age such as adolescence 19 .…”

“…Un reciente estudio publicado por Al-kassab et al, reportó una alta frecuencia de consumo de marihuana en los centros juveniles de diagnósticos y rehabilitación en Perú. A pesar de no haber encontrado una asociación entre las variables relacionadas a drogas de nuestro estudio, la población de jóvenes internos eventualmente formará parte de los internos penitenciarios mayores, lo que realza la importancia de estudiar el efecto de la elevada frecuencia de consumo de marihuana y la personalidad en una edad crítica como es la adolescencia 19 .…”

Associated factors to depression diagnosed during incarceration in Peruvian male prisoners: a sub-analysis of the national census of prison population

“…Unlike this variable (recreational drug use), SUD was constructed based on the medical diagnosis of this disease, which could reduce the measurement bias. In Peru, a study on young individuals before their admission to juvenile detention centres reported that more than 30% of them frequently consumed marijuana, which is illegal in Peru (Al-kassab-C ordova et al, 2021). Furthermore, no statistically significant associations were found between depression and alcohol and tobacco use.…”

Factores asociados a la presencia de autoreporte de nuevo diagnóstico de depresión en internos luego de su ingreso a centros penitenciarios y de rehabilitación juveniles, Perú, 2016

“…Por otro lado, el hecho de que puedan recibir abuso físico y/o emocional por parte de los padres, no es el único factor de riesgo para huir, las relaciones con sus demás familiares, incluidos hermanos, también influye. Asimismo, la escuela y sus compañeros, y la relación que pueda tener con ellos, el desempeño académico, son factores que pueden influir para que los adolescente huyan de sus hogares (23,30). En la adolescencia, es casi nulo el porcentaje de personas que huyen de sus casas pues no tienen donde ir, es más probable que el motivo de salir de casa por independizarse sea en los jóvenes adultos.…”