Methamphetamine use, aggressive behavior and other mental health issues among high-school students in Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

Objective Methamphetamine use has become a growing problem in a number of countries over the past two decades, but has only recently emerged in South Africa. This study investigated the prevalence of methamphetamine use among high-school students in Cape Town and whether students reporting methamphetamine use were more likely to be at risk for mental health and aggressive behavior problems. Method A cross-sectional survey of 15 randomly selected high-schools in Cape Town, of 1561 male and female grade 8–10 students (mean age 14.9), was conducted using the Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results Findings indicated that 9% of the students had tried methamphetamine at least once. Ordinal logistic regression analyses showed that methamphetamine use in the past year was significantly associated with higher aggressive behavior scores (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.04–3.15, p < 0.05), mental health risk scores (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.26–3.31, p < 0.01) and depression scores (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.64–4.28, p < 0.001). Conclusions Methamphetamine use has become a serious problem in Cape Town, particularly among adolescents. Screening adolescents in school settings for methamphetamine use and behavior problems may be useful in identifying youth at risk for substance misuse, providing an opportunity for early intervention. These findings have implications for other parts of the world where methamphetamine use may be occurring at younger ages and highlight the importance of looking at co-morbid issues related to methamphetamine use.

Psychosocial Determinants of Marijuana Utilization among Selected Junior High School Students in the Central Region of Ghana

“…Only few studies have reported the extent of substance use among diverse adolescent populations (e.g., Ghana [13,14,15]; South Africa [16,17,18]; Zambia [19]; Zimbabwe [20]. A recent transnational study investigating the prevalence of marijuana and amphetamine use, and associated risk factors among adolescents in 9 African countries found overall past month marijuana use among school going adolescents to be 4.1% [21].…”

Effect of Modafinil on Learning and Task-Related Brain Activity in Methamphetamine-Dependent and Healthy Individuals

“…Methamphetamine (MA) abuse and dependence are significant public health problems both in the United States (Gonzales et al, 2010) and worldwide (Pluddemann et al, 2010;Rawson and Condon, 2007; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2009;Wechsberg et al, 2010). Behavioral treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, are the principal therapeutic strategy used for MA dependence, but they have only achieved modest success (Lee and Rawson, 2008).…”

Hypertension, end-stage renal disease and mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis in methamphetamine users

“…[1] The drug is commonly used by young people of mixed ancestry, [2] and particularly those of lower socioeconomic status and educational level. [3] A closely related amphetamine, known as Ecstasy, was initially used as an appetite suppressant but rapidly became a recreational drug used in dancing clubs, where it was found to cause hyperthermia, dehydration and rhabdomyolysis, and an increased risk of acute renal failure. [4] Methamphetamine is relatively easy and inexpensive to produce, making it readily accessible.…”