CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by Directory of Open Access Journals Vojnosanit Pregl 2014; 71(5): 467–473. VOJNOSANITETSKI PREGLED Strana 467 UDC: 616-058:[613.96:616.89-008.441.3 ORIGINAL ARTICLE DOI: 10.2298/VSP1405467R The prevalence of substance use among adolescents and its correlation with social and demographic factors Rasprostranjenost upotrebe psihoaktivnih supstanci kod adolescenata i njena povezanost sa sociodemografskim faktorima Dušica B. Rakiü*, Branislava Rakiü*, Zoran Miloševiü†, Ivan Nedeljkoviü‡ *Faculty of Medicine, †Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; ‡Health center “Dr Cvjetkoviü”, Novi Sad, Serbia Abstract Apstrakt Backround/Aim. Adolescence is the period of greatest Uvod/Cilj. Adolescencija je period najveýeg rizika za poÿe- risk of starting to use substances: cigarette smoking, alcohol tak upotrebe psihoaktivnih supstanci: pušenje cigareta, kon- and illicit drugs. In the first decade of this millennium sub- zumacije alkohola i nezakonitih droga. U prvoj deceniji novog stance use among adolescents has increased. The aim of this milenijuma zapažen je porast upotrebe psihoaktivnih sup- study was to explore the prevalence of substances use stanci kod adolescenata. Cilj rada bio je utvrĀivanje prevalen- among adolescents and its correlation with social and cije upotrebe psihoaktivnih supstanci kod adolescenata i po- demographic factors. Methods. The study was conducted vezanost sa sociodemografskim faktorima. Metode. Istraži- among adolescents in Novi Sad during 2010–2011 and in- vanje je sprovedeno meĀu adolescentima u Novom Sadu, to- cluded 594 conveniently selected adolescents (275 male and kom 2010–2011. godine, i ukljuÿilo je 594 adolescenta (275 319 female), aged 15–19 years. A special questionnaire was muških i 319 ženskih), uzrasta 15–19 godina. Korišýen je an- used and statistical analysis performed in SPSS17. The cor- ketni upitnik, specijalno sastavljen za ovo istraživanje. Statisti- relation between parameters was evaluated by the Pearson ÿka obrada raĀena je u SPSS17. Povezanost parametara pro- correlation method and frequency differences were analysed cenjivana je metodama korelacije po Pirsonu, a razlike frek- using Ʒ2 test and starting level was p < 0.05. Results. The vencija ispitane su pomoýu Ʒ2-testa. Poÿetni stepen statistiÿke prevalence of substance use was statistically higher in males. znaÿajnosti bio je p < 0,05. Rezultati. Rasprostranjenost Cigarettes were smoked daily by 21.45% males and 15.67% upotrebe psihoaktivnih supstanci bila je statistiÿki veýa kod females (p < 0.01), alcohol was consumed by 81.6% males muškog pola. Cigarete je pušilo 21,45% muških i 15,67% žen- and 69.11% females (p < 0.001) and illicit drugs were used skih (p < 0,01), alkohol konzumiralo 81,6% muških i 69,11% by 13.65% males and 8.30% females (p < 0.05). There was a ženskih (p < 0,001) i nezakonite droge koristilo 13,65% muš- positive correlation between smoking cigarettes and alcohol kih i 8,30% ženskih ispitanika (p < 0,05). Postojala je pozitiv- consumption, but negative between smoking cigarettes and na korelacija izmeĀu pušenja cigareta i konzumiranja alkoho- the use of illicit drugs (p < 0.01). The prevalence of sub- la, a negativna kod korišýenja nezakonitih droga (p < 0,01). stance use was statistically higher among adolescents with Uÿestalost upotrebe psihoaktivnih supstanci bila je statistiÿki poor achievement in school (p < 0.01), who lived in a bro- veýa kod adolescenata koji imaju lošiji uspeh u školi (p < ken home (illicit drugs p < 0.01) and who had more pocket 0,01), žive u poremeýenim porodicama (pušenje cigareta p < money (cigarette smoking p < 0.01, and alcohol consump- 0,5, nezakonite droge p < 0,01) i imaju veýi nedeljni džeparac tion p < 0.5). Conclusion. Stable family, lower amount of (pušenje cigareta p < 0,5; konzumiranja alkohola p < 0,01). pocket money weekly and good school performance are Zakljuÿak. Stabilna porodica, mali nedeljni džeparac i odli- protective factors in prevention of substances use among ÿan uspeh u školi su protektivni faktori u prevenciji upotrebe adolescents. psihoaktivnih supstanci kod adolescenata. Key words: Kljuÿne reÿi: substance related disorders; adolescent; smoking; poremeýaji izazvani supstancama; adolescenti; alcohol drinking; street drugs; risk factors. pušenje; alkohol, pijenje; uliÿni lekovi; faktori rizika. Correspondence to: Dušica Rakiý, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia. Phone: +381 64 125 8384. E-mail: [email protected] Strana 468 VOJNOSANITETSKI PREGLED Volumen 71, Broj 5 Introduction Substance abuse moves towards younger ages, and the addiction increases. Because of that, it would be very im- Adolescence is a transition from childhood to adult- portant to conduct a comprehensive epidemiological study hood. This is a period of intensive biological growth and which would provide guidelines for organized and efficient sexual, emotional and psychosocial maturation. In this period prevention. they want to identify themselves, to experiment, to try out The fact that this issue has not been sufficiently ex- certain behaviours, because of curiosity, desire to imitate plored either in the foreign or in domestic literature encour- someone or self-assertion. Vast majority of adolescents con- aged us to explore the prevalence of risky behaviour and its sider starting smoking and drinking alcohol as a reflection of connection with social and demographic conditions. Thus, maturity 1–4. In this period adolescents are prone to risky be- the aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of sub- haviour. The most common risky behaviour among adoles- stance use among adolescents and its correlation with social cents is substance use: smoking cigarettes, alcohol consump- and demographic factors. tion and illicit drugs use. Numerous international studies direct attention to the Methods significant prevalence of substance use: smoking, alcohol consumption and illicit drugs use among adolescents in the This cross-sectional survey was conducted in the period first decade of this millennium 5, 6. from 2010 to 2011, approved by the Ethical Committee of Data on the prevalence of substance use among adoles- the University of Medicine in Novi Sad. cents is very diverse and difficult to follow because of the The study included adolescents aged 15–19 years, con- different research methodologies. veniently selected in three secondary schools in Novi Sad In Europe, the European School Survey Project on Al- during one regular school class period. All the participants cohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) study has been conducted were informed about the purpose of the survey (participation every four years since 1995 in 39 European countries. The was voluntary and anonymous). The survey was adminis- ESPAD study controls the frequency of smoking, alcohol trated through personal contact with respondents and, thus, and illicit drugs use. Serbia was included in this study in the occurrence of logic errors was avoided. 2005, which is understandable because of political and social The original questionnaire designed for collecting the events proceeding that period 7, 8. Monitoring of the inci- research data was modelled on a questionnaire about the sub- dence of substance use among adolescents has been carried stance use among adolescents in the Countrywide Integrated out in the United States of America (USA) since 1975 using Noncommunicable Diseases Intervention Programme the long-term and comprehensive Monitoring the Future (CINDI), which was used in earlier studies in Novi Sad 12, 13. (MTF) 9 study, supported by the U.S. National Institutes Each questionnaire had an identification number, rang- (NIDA). Another national study Young Risk Behaviour Sur- ing from 1 to 600. Improper and under-staffed polls were not vey (YRBS) has been conducted since 1991 in the USA 10. taken into account. The response rate to questionnaires dis- The researches have shown that the trend of prevalence tributed was 98.9% (594–275 male and 319 female), with of cigarette smoking is decreasing among adolescents since only 1.01% (6) rejected. 1999. It is significantly lower nowadays than in the past. The The questionnaire contained 15 questions divided into studies of alcohol use among young people have shown that three parts. The first part of the questionnaire contained gen- alcohol use is increasing, especially in developing coun- eral questions: year of birth and gender. tries 7, 9, 10. The prevalence of illicit drug use had an increas- The second part contained questions that assessed the ing trend from 1991 to 2003 and was followed by a slight social and demographic factors: success in school, place of decline from 2007 to 2011 in many European countries7. residence (city, village and suburbs), the family status (living However, in the USA the prevalence of illicit drug use is still with parents, with single father, with single mother, with slightly increasing 9. relatives or in a boarding school), the economic status (the Complete and stable families can play a positive role amount of pocket money weekly). The third part of the in terms of prevention of risky behaviour among young questionnaire contained questions related to the assessment people 1. Alienation and non-communication in the family of the prevalence of substance use: smoking cigarettes, have a great impact on the occurrence of risky behaviour drinking alcohol and using illicit drugs. among adolescents. The families are usually unaware of the For cigarette smoking, the respondents were asked if presence of a problem related to risky behaviour, whether it they smoke (never, sometimes, every day) and how many is connected with alcohol consumption, smoking or use of cigarettes they smoke daily (0, 1–5, 6–14 or more than 15). illicit drugs, until a conflict occurs at school or with the On alcohol, the respondents were also asked two ques- police 2. tions. In the first question, they were asked if they drink al- Social and economic changes occurring after the col- cohol, and the answers given were never, sometimes, 3–4 lapse of former Yugoslavia resulted in the appearance of so- times a month or every day.