Past 12-month and lifetime comorbidity and poly-drug use of ecstasy users among young adults in the United States: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions

Abstract

Background-Ecstasy use is prevalent among young people and often co-occurs with other drug use, but little is known about the past 12-month and lifetime psychiatric comorbidity and specific additional drug abuse among young adult ecstasy users in the general population. To provide this information, we compared current ecstasy users to former users, other illicit drug users, and nonillicit drug users.Method-Data were gathered in a face-to-face survey of the United States conducted in the 2001-2002. Participants were household and group quarters residents aged 18-29 years (n = 8666). We measured current ecstasy use defined as any use in the past year; former ecstasy use as use prior to the past year only; other lifetime drug use included any drug other than ecstasy; lifetime non-illicit drug use as no illicit drug use. Associations were determined for nine other classes of illicit drugs, eight personality disorders, and seven mood and anxiety disorders.Results-Of current ecstasy users, 44% used >3 other classes of illicit drugs in the past year, compared to 1.6% of non-ecstasy drug users. Current ecstasy use was associated with current anxiety (OR = 3.7), specifically panic disorder (OR = 7.7) and specific phobia (OR = 4.1), also alcohol abuse (OR = 21.6) and dependence (OR = 4.1) and any personality disorder (OR = 5.1) compared to non-illicit drug users.Conclusions-Results indicate important differences in comorbidities of current and former ecstasy users compared to other drug users and lifetime non-illicit drug users that may affect

Correlates of Ecstasy use in the Swedish General Population

“…Even after controlling for use of other drugs, recent and former ecstasy users still differed from nonusers in a number of ways. The associations between ecstasy use and younger age, living in a larger city, smoking and hazardous alcohol use have been shown in several previous studies (Degenhardt et al, 2004;Keyes et al, 2008;Wu et al, 2009a;Wu et al, 2006). The findings in this study indicate that the same patterns are present in the Swedish general population.…”

“…Cocaine and amphetamine, as well as ecstasy, are often included in the group of so called "party drugs" and the associations between ecstasy and these kinds of drugs in particular, and other drugs in general, are well known from previous studies (Keyes et al, 2008;Wu et al, 2006). Even after controlling for use of other drugs, recent and former ecstasy users still differed from nonusers in a number of ways.…”

“…The majority of independent variables were chosen based on previous epidemiologic studies on ecstasy using logistic regression analysis ( Boyd et al, 2003;Corapcioglu & Ogel, 2004;Degenhardt et al, 2004;Keyes et al, 2008;Ompad et al, 2005;Pedersen & Skrondal, 1999;Wu et al, 2006;Wu et al, 2009a) These were: age (categorized into three groups: 15-24, 25-34 and 35 years or older), gender, country of birth (born in Sweden or not), urbanicity (categorized into: living in a larger city (i. e., Stockholm, Gothenburg or Malmo), living in a suburb of a larger city, and other), income (above median or not), educational level (above high school level or not), housing status (living with one's partner or not), hazardous alcohol use, habitual smoking (smoking daily or having done so previously during at least six months), frequency of nights out (i. e., visiting a bar, night club or pub during the past 12 months, categorized into: twice a week or more, 2-4 times a month, and once a month or less) and lifetime illicit use of other drugs: cannabis, stimulants (amphetamine and cocaine), heroin (this category also included methadone and buprenorphine) and prescription drugs.…”

“…With few exceptions (Wu et al, 2009a;Wu, Parrott, Ringwalt, Yang, & Blazer, 2009b), most studies reporting correlates of ecstasy use have been conducted on perceived high-risk groups, such as youths (Degenhardt, Barker, & Topp, 2004;Keyes, Martins, & Hasin, 2008;Pedersen & Skrondal, 1999;Wu, Schlenger, & Galvin, 2006), students (Boyd, McCabe, & d'Arcy, 2003;Corapcioglu & Ogel, 2004) and illicit drug users (Ompad, Galea, Fuller, Edwards, & Vlahov, 2005). The aim of the present study was, therefore, to add to previous epidemiological studies on ecstasy use by reporting correlates of ecstasy use in the Swedish general population.…”

Komorbiditas Pecandu Narkotika

“…Juga ditemukan bahwa pengguna ekstasi berisiko 3,7 kali lebih besar untuk mengalami gangguan kecemasan dibanding dengan yang tidak menggunakan ekstasi. 8 Pada pengguna narkotika suntik, kemungkinan menderita komplikasi hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, TB paru sangat tinggi. Pada penelitian sebelumnya, pengguna narkoba suntik berisiko tinggi tertular hepatitis C. Prevalensi hepatitis B di kalangan pengguna narkoba suntik di berbagai kota di seluruh dunia berada pada kisar 40% sampai 60%.…”