Adicciones
Volume 26, Issue 1, 2014, Pages 69-76

Differences in illegal drug consumption between native and immigrants in a large sample of injected drug users in Catalonia (Spain) [Diferencias en el consumo de drogas ilegales entre nativos e inmigrantes en una amplia muestra de consumidores de droga por vía parenteral en cataluña (España)] (Article)

Saigí N. , Espelt A.* , Folch C. , Sarasa-Renedo A. , Castellano Y. , Majó X. , Meroño M. , Brugal M.T. , Casabona J. , Esteve A. , Montoliu A. , Muñoz R. , González V. , Ausina V. , Vecino C. , Colom J. , Altabas A.
  • a Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain
  • b Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica, Barcelona, Spain, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain, Departament de Psicobiologia i Metodologia de les ciències de la Salut, Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
  • c CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain, Centre d'Estudis pidemiològics sobre les, Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya ICO, ASPC, Hosp Univ. Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain, Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Preventive Medicine, Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, CEEISCAT, Spain; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain, Centre d'Estudis pidemiològics sobre les, Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya ICO, ASPC, Hosp Univ. Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain, Department of Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Preventive Medicine, Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, CEEISCAT, Spain
  • d Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain, Àmbit Prevenció, Barcelona, Spain
  • e Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
  • f Àmbit Prevenció, Barcelona, Spain
  • g Àmbit Prevenció, Barcelona, Spain
  • h Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica, Barcelona, Spain, CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
  • i CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain, Centre d'Estudis pidemiològics sobre les, Infeccions de Transmissió Sexual i Sida de Catalunya ICO, ASPC, Hosp Univ. Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Spain, Subdirecció General de, Drogodependències, Barcelona, Spain; CEEISCAT, Spain
  • j CEEISCAT, Spain
  • k CEEISCAT, Spain
  • l CEEISCAT, Spain
  • m Servei Microbiologia HUGTiP, Spain
  • n Servei Microbiologia HUGTiP, Spain
  • o Agéncia de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Spain
  • p Subdirecció General de Drogodependéncies, Spain
  • q Ámbit Prevenció, Spain

Abstract

The aims of this study were to describe illegal drug abuse patterns in relation to the migration process and use of drug treatment centers among immigrant injected drug users (IDUs) involved in harm reduction programs, and to compare the characteristics of immigrant and native IDUs. Cross-sectional study of 748 IDUs aged ≥18 years attending harm reduction centers between 2008 and 2009. We explored differences in socio-economic status, illegal drug consumption, health status and use of treatment centers in native versus immigrant IDUs. We also described whether immigrant IDUs started using injected drugs before or after entering the host country. Immigrant IDUs tend to live alone more frequently, start injection at later ages, use heroin and inject it more frequently and use drug treatment centers less frequently than native IDUs. Seventy-six percent of immigrants began using illegal drugs before arriving at the host country. Those who started in other countries were residing in the host country for 5 years or less (63.9%). Overall, immigrant IDUs attended drug treatment centers (36.9%) less frequently than native IDUs (71.8%). In conclusion, migration could be a risk factor for illegal drug abuse initiation or increase in consumption, often with the adoption of local consumption patterns and aggravated due to a lower access to drug treatment centers.

Author Keywords

Immigrant Injected drug user Heroin Harm reduction programs

Index Keywords

male Emigrants and Immigrants Spain female comparative study Street Drugs street drug substance abuse Humans adult cross-sectional study Cross-Sectional Studies Substance Abuse, Intravenous Young Adult human epidemiology migrant middle aged
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84893927496&partnerID=40&md5=7acbdc529aa21264aab9c9d1b7c8883c
ISSN: 02144840
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English; Spanish