NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE EPIDEMIOLOGIC ...

EPIDEMIOLOGIC TRENDS IN DRUG ABUSE—SISVEA
Update of the Epidemiological Surveillance System of
Addictions (SISVEA) in Mexico: January–June 2004
Roberto Tapia-Conyer, Patricia Cravioto, Pablo Kuri, Mario Cortés, and Fernando Galván 1
ABSTRACT
In the first half of 2004, cocaine remained the most
common primary drug of use among patients at
government treatment centers. At nongovernment
treatment centers, however, alcohol was the most
common current primary drug of abuse. Information
from the Juvenile Detention Centers shows that
34.4 percent of the 5,393 juveniles arrested during
the first half of 2004 used marijuana. According to
medical examiners, the abuse of alcohol was involved
in 85.2 percent of the drug-related deaths.
INTRODUCTION
The Epidemiological Surveillance System of Addictions
(SISVEA) monitors the use and abuse of tobacco,
alcohol, and medical and illegal drugs, as well
as their effects on morbidity, mortality, and juvenile
arrests. Created in 1990 by the General Directorate of
Epidemiology, SISVEA initially operated in eight
cities located on Mexico’s northern border; since
then, it has monitored drug consumption throughout
Mexico. Currently, SISVEA provides information on
31 States in Mexico.
Initially, SISVEA was based conceptually and operationally
on three strategies, which have evolved and
been reinforced to form the present system. The five
main indicators of the present system give continuity
to the original model. The indicators and data sources
are shown below:
• Information on consumption of tobacco, alcohol,
and medical and illegal drugs is obtained from
treatment centers.
• Data on diseases and accidental mortality are
provided by emergency rooms.
• Information on mortality among drug users is
provided by coroners’ offices.
• Statistics on crimes against health are obtained
from law enforcement agencies.
1 The authors are affiliated with the Ministry of Health of Mexico.
• General information on consumption of tobacco,
alcohol, and medical and illegal drugs in the
general population and risk groups is obtained
from surveys and qualitative studies.
Data Sources for This Update
The data sources used to construct different indicators
are described below:
• Treatment information covers the characteristics
and consumption patterns related to the first
drug of use and primary drug of use. These data
were obtained from government treatment centers
(GTCs or Centers of Juvenile Integration)
and nongovernment treatment centers (NGCs)
that participated in SISVEA cities in the first 6
months of 2004.
• Drug consumption data is gathered from the
general population and the risk groups. Data on
juvenile infractors was reported by the Juvenile
Detention Centers for the first 6 months of 2004.
• Medical examiner (ME) data cover drugrelated
deaths in the first half of 2004. The data
cover accidental and violent deaths (homicides
or suicides) in cases in which drug abuse may be
the direct cause of death or a contributing factor.
DRUG ABUSE PATTERNS AND TRENDS
Marijuana
According to GTCs, marijuana users during the first
half of 2004 were mostly male (92.1 percent); 27.1
percent were age 15–19; 46.0 percent had only a
middle school education; 61.4 percent were single;
and 49.0 percent came from a middle-low socioeconomic
level (exhibit 1). The age of onset for 49.1
percent of marijuana users occurred between 10 and
14 years of age, and for 43.4 percent between 15 and
19 years of age. Of this user group, 66.1 percent
reported daily use.
Proceedings of the Community Epidemiology Work Group, Vol. II, January 2005 305