Sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates of substance abuse among street children

Abstract

Context: India is now witnessing steady increase of substance abuse in younger age group. Street life is a major reason in addition to curiosity, unawareness of harm, migration, peer pressure. Aims: To assess the prevalence, pattern and related factors of substance use and stress among the street living children. Settings and Design: This street-based observational, cross sectional survey included 150 street children living in vicinity of railway stations, business activity centre and major religious places of Kolkata. Methods and Material: A descriptive research was done in 150 street children, aged 6 to 18 years and stayed in the street for at least six months. Respondents and care givers were interviewed with pre designed proforma to obtain information on socio demographic attributes, pattern of substance abuse, psycho social issues, self rated health. Weight and height were recorded by calibrated standardized instrument. Statistical analysis used: Collected data were analyzed with SPSS 22.0(licensed). Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was done for normally distributed, skewed and categorical variables respectively. The significance level was set at 5%. Results: Two-thirds of participants used substance. Illiteracy was significantly more in females. Perceived positive benefit was commonest reason while feeling happiness and diminished pain was the most common expectation behind substance abuse. Peer group had the biggest influence (92.0%) on their life. Substance abuse was significantly more in males, adolescents, employed, without family attachment, adult as influencer and in those who lived on street without family. Conclusions: Higher prevalence of substance abuse among males, adolescents with adult influencer, employed and without family attachment highlighted the urgent need of intervention to see a better future.

Inhalant abuse among street‐involved children and adolescents in India: Case for epistemic recognition and reorientation

“…Our results also point to the debilitating effects on physical health (Ayaya & Esamai, 2001;Sah et al, 2019) and the indifference and neglect that street children more generally also experience (Ali & de Muynck, 2005). The potential protective influence of educational institutions mirrors that found by Islam et al (2014) and Basu et al (2021). In contrast to Merriman and Guerin (2007) who found the aspiration of becoming a teacher and a doctor to be the most commonly held in their sample of Calcutta street children, we found children express different ones not necessarily associated with a higher socio-economic status (SES) or high education requirements.…”

“…While we recognize that these categories are not very neat and clean ones, and the term itself has been argued to be problematic (Panter-Brick, 2002), evidence points to street-involved adolescents being far more vulnerable to inhalant abuse and its health consequences than those not involved with the street (Nath et al, 2016). Although the definitions and methods do not remain constant, estimated prevalence rates of inhalant abuse among street-involved children and adolescents (with and without other substances) vary from 88.46% in Butwal, Nepal (Sah et al, 2019), 70.71% in Guwahati, India (Islam et al, 2014), 41.3% in Kolkata, India (Basu et al, 2021), and 67% in Eldoret, Kenya (Embleton et al, 2013). Drawing from a systematic review of the literature on the health status of street children and youth, Woan et al (2013, p. 318) observe that "there is an inhalant use epidemic in low and middleincome countries."…”

High‐Risk Behaviours, Suicide and Social Isolation in Street Adolescents in Iran: A Cross‐Sectional Descriptive Study

“…They also reported a 32.2 per cent history of drug and alcohol consumption and 72.2 per cent of smoking. A cross-sectional study of 156 street adolescents in India showed that most adolescents had primary education, and the prevalence of substance abuse was high (Basu et al, 2021). Experiencing poverty, forced labour and the lack of a healthy family environment and proper control in this population leads to dropping out of school at an early age and social harm (Oppong Asante et al, 2016).…”

Substance Use Disorders in Children and Adolescents

“…Industrial glues and petrol were found to be used in high proportions, followed by tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis. [20][21][22][23][24][25] The substances they use are frequently selected for their low price, widespread availability, and ability to induce a sense of euphoria instantly. 1 Poverty, urbanization, breakdown of families, domestic violence, and child labor were important correlates of substance abuse in street children.…”