Vulnerability to Psychoactive Substance Use among Colombian Adolescents Exposed to Armed Conflic
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Abstract
Objective. To estimate the prevalence of psychoactive substance use among adolescents exposed to armed conflict and some related factors. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted in three educational institutions in Caucasia with 2,288 students between 10 and 19 years of age, examining the use of licit and illicit substances as well as family, personal, academic, and social variables. A generalized linear model with a Poisson function and Logit link was applied to estimate prevalences and prevalence ratios. Results. The overall prevalence of use of any type of substance was 23.9%. The prevalence of licit substance use was 23.0%, while illicit substance use was 4.8%. Higher levels of consumption were found among older students with basic academic performance, victims of psychological abuse, those experiencing severe family dysfunction, and those with relatives who consumed licit or illicit substances. Discussion. Exposure to armed conflict may exacerbate the frequency of psychoactive substance use. Therefore, it is important to intervene at the social, personal, and family levels, using comprehensive approaches to address this public health problem.
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References
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