Gaceta Sanitaria
Volume 24, Issue 3, 2010, Pages 200-203

Trends in drug consumption among immigrants between 2004 and 2008 [Evolución del consumo de drogas por inmigrantes entre los años 2004 y 2008] (Article) (Open Access)

Tordable Merino I.* , Sánchez Sánchez A. , Santos Sanz S. , García Vicario M.I. , Redondo Martín S.
  • a Servicio de Evaluación y Prevención del Consumo, De Drogas del Comisionado Regional para la Droga de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain
  • b Servicio de Evaluación y Prevención del Consumo, De Drogas del Comisionado Regional para la Droga de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain
  • c Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
  • d Servicio de Evaluación y Prevención del Consumo, De Drogas del Comisionado Regional para la Droga de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain
  • e Servicio de Evaluación y Prevención del Consumo, De Drogas del Comisionado Regional para la Droga de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain

Abstract

Objective: To determine the sociodemographic and drug use profile of immigrants attended in Castile-Leon (Spain). Methods: We performed a retrospective descriptive study comparing sociodemographic profiles and drug use variables through Pearson's chi-square test. Results: A total of 80.8% of drug users were men, with a mean age 33.8 years (SD: 9.0); 72.3% were from Latin America, Portugal and eastern Europe and 51.6% had lived for 5 years or less in Spain. The main drug used was heroine (43.8%), via smoking (43.5%); most drug users started using in the country of origin (64.3%). Comparisons between 2008 and 2004 showed the following significant differences: for men: mean age (33.8 vs 30.9); length of main drug use:≥21 years (19.2% vs 8.3%); for women: main drug use: heroin plus cocaine (25.6% vs 3.6%); length of main drug use: 16-20 years (27.9% vs 4.0%). Conclusions: The pattern of drug use differed by country of origin. The most commonly used drug was heroin, and injection was a frequent route of administration. We identified a need to strengthen harm-reduction interventions in this collective, enhance surveillance and adapt health services. © 2009 SESPAS.

Author Keywords

immigrants Outpatient treatment Drug-related problems Epidemiological profile Drug use

Index Keywords

human middle aged statistics Substance-Related Disorders Time Factors Young Adult Humans Adolescent male Spain female Socioeconomic Factors socioeconomics Article Retrospective Studies adult migration addiction Transients and Migrants retrospective study time
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77954862035&doi=10.1016%2fj.gaceta.2009.10.015&partnerID=40&md5=1b621f40b80873b8e9dd02d3134080ee
DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2009.10.015
ISSN: 02139111
Cited by: 8
Original Language: Spanish