Trends and Gender Differences in Substance Use Among Children and Adolescents Admitted to an Addiction Treatment Center in Turkey: Years 2011–2013

Abstract

Trends and gender differences in substance use among children and adolescents admitted to an addiction treatment center in Turkey: years 2011-2013 Objective: In this study we aimed to examine the trends and gender differences in substance use behaviors and treatment seeking patterns of children and adolescents who were admitted to an addiction treatment center in Turkey. Method: Participants were 2718 children and adolescents who had been consecutively admitted to the 'Children and Adolescent Alcohol and Drug Dependency Treatment Center' in Istanbul between January 2011 and December 2013. A detailed drug use questionnaire was completed by all participants, and substance use characteristics were analyzed in terms of gender and substance types. The data regarding age of first use, age at referral, referral pattern, and type of the substances used were compared between three years (2011, 2012, and 2013) and between genders. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in the number of females (p<0.001) and in the total number of children and adolescents (p<0.001) seeking treatment for substance use through these years. The mean age of first use was 13.8 years (SD: 2.1) and the mean age at referral for treatment was 16.1 years (SD: 1.5) in the whole group. The mean age at referral for treatment was significantly lower in the female group (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of subjects admitted to the addiction treatment center alone or with their family (p<0.001) and in the number of subjects brought in by social services (p<0.001), while there was a statistically significant decrease in the number of non-voluntary referrals from forensic services through the years (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant increase in the rate of ecstasy, heroin, synthetic cannabinoid use and polysubstance use and a statistically significant decrease in the age of first use (p<0.0001) and inhalant/solvent use through the years. Use of solvents/ inhalants was more common among men (p<0.001), whereas ecstasy and cocaine use was more common among women (for each, p<0.001). Polysubstance use was present in 60.2% of the subjects, and there was a statistically significant increase in the mean number of substance types used in the last two years (p<0.001). Conclusion: As different and new illicit drugs rise and fall in popularity, it is important to reexamine the patterns of substance use and to reorganize the prevention policies and treatment strategies. Considering the decrease in the age of first use and the increase in the number of youth using multiple drugs and/or hard drugs, new and more effective preventive strategies should be developed targeting children and adolescents in Turkey.

Evaluation of Risk Factors Affecting Substance Use among Tenth-Grade Students

“…Often a psychiatric disease accompanies substance use in adolescents. In a public sample study, it was shown that at least one psychiatric disorder accompanied substance addiction in 90% of adolescents under the age of 15; and the most frequent accompanying psychiatric disorders were conduct disorder (72.4%), attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (63.6%), and depression (52.7%) [ 4 ].…”

“…In this context, substance use and addiction as an overall worldwide issue have become an important problem for our country as well [ 1 , 2 ]. There are two crucial findings concerning the studies on substance use: there has been a rapid increase in in USA and in our rates of substance use among the adolescents (high school students) country in recent years; and there has been a decrease in tobacco and alcohol use, while the age of first substance use has become younger [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…In order for the substance use prevention programs to be successful in adolescence, it is necessary to determine the children and adolescents under risk and to know what kind of personal and environmental factors create risk in terms of substance use in adolescence [ 4 – 7 ].…”

Illicit substance use among persons admitted to probation polyclinic of a regional mental hospital in the Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

“…16 Looking at the trends in opiate usage, we found the highest prevalence in 2014. A study from Turkey, 17 including 2718 youths admitted to an addiction treatment center reported the increased heroin use prevalence through the years in males. 17 Reported data on the prevalence of opiate usage is highly variable in different geographical regions worldwide.…”

Prevalence and Sociodemographic Determinants of Substance Use in Turkey

“…The risk of psychoactive substance use among the youth, especially students, is a serious health problem that should be closely monitored [20,21]. Studies have shown that the youth are at a high risk of substance use [22][23][24]. Several risk factors are associated with psychoactive substance use among university students [22,[25][26][27].…”