Age of onset of substance use and psychosocial problems among individuals with substance use disorders

Abstract

BackgroundSubstance use is generally initiated in adolescence or early adulthood and is commonly associated with several physical, psychological, emotional and social problems. The objective of this study is to assess the age of onset of substance use differences on psychosocial problems among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) residing in drug rehabilitation centers.MethodsA descriptive cross sectional research design was carried out. Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) sampling technique was used to select the drug rehabilitation centers and all the respondents meeting the inclusion criteria of the selected seven rehabilitation centers were taken as a sample and comprised of 221 diagnosed individuals with SUDs. A semi structured self administered questionnaires were used to collect the information regarding demographic and substance use related characteristics. A standard tool Drug Use Screening Inventory-Revised (DUSI-R) was used to assess the psychosocial problems among individuals with SUDs. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Multivariate general linear model (MANOVA and MANCOVA) was used to evaluate differences in psychosocial problems between early vs late onset substance users.ResultThe age of onset of substance use was significantly associated with psychosocial problems. The mean psychosocial problem scores were higher in early onset substance user (17 years or younger) than late onset substance user (18 years or higher) in various domains of DUSI-R even after controlling confounding factors. The two groups (early vs late) differed significantly in relation to age, gender, occupational status, current types of substance use, frequency of use, mode of substance use and relapse history.ConclusionThe study indicated that early onset substance users are at higher risk for psychosocial problems in various areas of life such as Behavior Pattern, Psychiatric disorder, Family system, Peer relationship, Leisure/Recreation and Work adjustment compared to late onset substance users. It highlights the need for early prevention, screening, and timely intervention among those individuals.

Prevalence of Substance Use among Undergraduate Students in a Medical College of Nepal

“…The use of these substances may cause several physical, psychological, emotional, and social problems in medical students. 1 The use of addictive substances might cause psychiatric morbidity, cognitive and functional impairments, and behavioral changes that ultimately affect student health, wealth, and education. Medical students have a constant burden of academic and clinical activities and have easy access to drugs that might influence the students to misuse the substances.…”

Extended access self-administration of methamphetamine is associated with age- and sex-dependent differences in drug taking behavior and recognition memory deficits in rats

“…Overall, these findings suggest that adolescent-onset users may develop problematic drug-taking patterns more rapidly and may be more likely than adult-onset users to experience cognitive dysfunction in early abstinence. Both of these factors could contribute to higher drop-out rates from treatment programs (McKellar et al, 2006), greater relapse rates (Simon et al, 2004;Poudel and Gautam, 2017), and worse treatment outcomes (Hillhouse et al, 2007).…”

Inicio y progresión en el consumo de sustancias en la población general de Cataluña, España

“…Dicha tendencia se ha informado anteriormente en el contexto europeo en aquellos países que han publicado estimaciones recientes de sus encuestas (desde el año 2013) (European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2016). Tal hecho es importante de por sí (más jóvenes, más vulnerables, edad de inicio más temprana) y por sus implicaciones para el futuro: existe una relación entre edad temprana de inicio de consumo de sustancias con mayor persistencia de consumo y problemas comportamentales de mayor severidad relacionados con el mismo (Poudel y Gautam, 2017).…”

“…1 · PÁGS. 32-39 U na edad de inicio temprana en el consumo de sustancias se asocia con una variedad de resultados negativos a largo plazo (Poudel y Gautam, 2017) y es uno de los factores más fuertemente asociados con una prevalencia más alta de consumo de sustancias, y también en la participación en otras conductas de riesgo para la salud (DuRant, Smith, Kreiter, y Krowchuk, 1999). Un inicio temprano en el consumo de tabaco y/o cannabis podría aumentar el riesgo del inicio de consumo de otras sustancias ilegales y en problemas de dependencia más tarde (Anthony, 2012;Baggio et al, 2014;Choo, Roh y Robinson, 2008;Fergusson y Boden, 2014;Swift et al, 2012;van Leeuwen et al, 2011) tanto como de problemas familiares, sociales y legales (Hser, Grella, Collins y Teruya, 2003).…”