Risk Factors for Illicit Drug Use Among Malaysian Male Adolescents

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of illicit drug use and its associated factors among male adolescents in Malaysia. Data of 13 135 adolescents were extracted from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017, a cross-sectional survey among school-going adolescents in Malaysia aged between 13 and 17 years, using a 2-stage stratified cluster sampling. A complex sample design analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were applied. The overall prevalence of lifetime illicit drug use among male adolescents was 6.6%. The multivariable model showed that illicit drug use among male adolescents were associated with younger age, rural school area, marital status of parent, current smoker, ever having sex, truancy, involved in physical fight, and lack of peer support. The findings from this study can assist community and relevant authorities in their efforts to combat illicit drug usage among adolescents using intervention programs that diminishes risk factors and enhances the protective factors.

Illicit Drug Use Pattern, Health-Risk Behaviors, and Social Contexts Among Indonesian Students

“…The pattern of illicit drug use among Indonesian students was different from previous studies that found a higher prevalence of illicit drug use among older participants (Rudatsikira et al, 2009;Sirirassamee & Sirirassamee, 2015;Swendsen et al, 2012;Tsitsimpikou et al, 2018;Vidourek et al, 2018). However, this pattern also differed from another study that found a higher prevalence of illicit drug use among younger participants (Rodzlan Hasani et al, 2019). This finding was probably due to the strong effect of peer influence during middle adolescence.…”

“…The internal factors were sex and health-risk behaviors, namely, smoking, consuming alcohol, and premarital sex. A previous study among Malaysian male adolescents revealed that smoking and engaging in sexual intercourse were positively associated with lifetime drug use; they were as likely to engage in lifetime drug use (Rodzlan Hasani et al, 2019). Another study also showed that early tobacco initiation and alcohol consumption were associated with an increased likelihood of illicit drug use among older adolescents (Nkansah-Amankra & Minelli, 2016).…”

Polysubstance use among adolescents in Malaysia: Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2017

“…Other than socio-economic and physical environment factors, previous literature also reported other significant factors that contributed to substance use, such as unsupportive family condition, patient-child relationship, and being raised by a single parent [17,18]. Other factors, such as loneliness, had no close friends, inadequate peer support, involved in truancy, and being bullied, can also render adolescents vulnerable to substance use [19].…”

Impact of Status quo and Resistance to Innovation on the Failure of Detection and Prevention Strategies of Drugs Control Committee in Malaysia

“…It also participates in the WHO ADR monitoring program and offers ADR information to doctors, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers. Malaysia’s present medication safety system has limitations ( Rodzlan Hasani et al, 2019 ), namely, (1) in terms of pharmaceutical vigilance, there is a lack of understanding concerning medication safety among healthcare workers, (2) there is a lack of understanding regarding the presence, function, and purpose of national ADR reporting ( Shafie et al, 2019 ), (3) due to the lack of a national computerized database on the prescription administered, signal production is difficult, (4) inability to engage pharmaceutical companies with drug safety issues, (5) there is a lack of knowledge on genetic effects, social behaviors, pharmacological interactions, and contraindications linked with medicines, (6) only a few reports on traditional and herbal medications, which are commonly utilized, are present, (7) underreporting is a key flaw in all spontaneous reporting systems, (8) nursing personnel and customers were not involved in the ADR monitoring program, (9) the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in drug safety problems is limited, (10) the function of the media in public drug safety education is limited, (11) healthcare practitioners’ selective reporting (reporting bias), and (12) inadequate at spotting delayed ADRs. These limitations play a vital role in the success or failure of the policies related to the prevention and control of drugs in Malaysia.…”