14.12.2012 Views

Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

FIGURE 5. Changes in patterns <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> psychoactive substances use<br />

during past pregnancy: Colombia, 1992.<br />

Prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants during the past year (1.7 percent) is <strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

highest prevalences in Colombia, surpassed <strong>on</strong>ly by alcohol and tobacco.<br />

Lifetime prevalence is the fourth (3.8 percent), after alcohol, tobacco and<br />

marijuana. The estimated incidence rate is 65 per 10,000 pers<strong>on</strong>-years.<br />

This means that every year about 144,000 pers<strong>on</strong>s initiated inhalant use<br />

in the country, most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> them adolescents.<br />

Age is the variable most associated with inhalant use, with adolescents<br />

12-17 years <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> age reporting the highest rates <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> use. Other variables<br />

having a statistically significant associati<strong>on</strong> to the prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant<br />

use were marital status and occupati<strong>on</strong>al status. These two variables<br />

seem to be related to inhalant use because they are associated with the<br />

subjects’ age. On the other hand, no characteristics were found<br />

associated with cessati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant use.<br />

The largest numbers <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> current and new inhalant users were found am<strong>on</strong>g<br />

adolescents, women, students, individuals <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> low socioec<strong>on</strong>omic status,<br />

and pers<strong>on</strong>s living in large cities (i.e., those with greater than 500,000<br />

inhabitants). Preventi<strong>on</strong> programs need to focus <strong>on</strong> these groups.<br />

97

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!