Implementation and Evaluation of a Psychoactive Substance Use Intervention for Children in Afghanistan: Differences Between Girls and Boys at Treatment Entry and in Response to Treatment

Abstract

Afghanistan is one of only four countries in the world with the highest proportion of the population under the age of 15 years (48%). By comparison, adults in Afghanistan, ages 65 and older, represent only 3.7% of the population [1]. With a total fertility rate of 5.3 per woman [2], Having a 'youth bulge' creates an opportunity for economic development when youth are provided with an education and skills training; however, this 'bulge' can also be a threat as an insurgent group can readily attract uneducated youth for their purposes. Each year, 400,000 youth enter the Afghanistan