Adolescentes usuários de drogas que buscam tratamento: as diferenças entre os gêneros / Adolescents drug users in treatment: the gender differences.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2004

RESUMO

Although male and female adolescents consume drugs in the same proportion, male adolescents are referred for specialized treatment more frequently than females. There are a few studies about the differences among genders of adolescent drug abusers, especially in Brazil. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics and access possible differences in the drug using between genders of adolescents in treatment considering the pattern of drug abuse, consequences of this use, and treatment outcome. The differences among genders of 124 adolescents in treatment were accessed. The following variables were accessed: age at the first drug use and they looked for treatment, with whom they first use drugs, family history of drug use, drugs ever consumed, illegal behaviours, court problems, scholar delay, co-morbidities, abstinence during treatment, and treatment period. Male were more prevalent than female (81.5% vs. 18.5%, respectively). The mean age at the admission to the program was 15,4 ± 1,3 years, the mean age at the first time they used illegal drug was 13,3 ± 1,5 years. Seventy eight percent had family history of drug use. The first illegal drug consumed was marijuana, and this was the most drugs consumed during the last year before the treatment admission, as well. Almost 78% of the adolescents had history of illegal behaviours, 5,6% had co-morbidity with conduct disorder and 1,6% had attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder. The mean permanence in treatment was 21,1 ± 19,7 weeks, and ____% was abstinent at the end of treatment. No differences between genders were found considering these variables. Among female adolescents there were more prevalence of benzodiazepine use, at least once in their lives (17,4%), first drug use with family members (21,1%), prevalence of co-morbidities (25,4%), major depression disorder (43,5%), suicidal attempt (35,5%), and period of abstinence during treatment (mean of 30,2 ± 24,4 weeks). Among males, scholar delay (87,1%) and court problems (48,5%) were more frequent than among females. Consequences of drug abuse (court problems and scholar delay) are much more evident among male, which could explain the higher prevalence of males in specialized treatment sets. However, females consume the same amount of drugs and engage in illegal behavior as males. Suicidal attempts and depression are higher among female abusers, which may be the precipitant factor for female specialized treatment. These differences may justify different treatment approach for each gender, as well as, the development of programs to identify problems related to drug use, especially among female adolescents.

ASSUNTO(S)

comportamento do adolescente transtornos relacionados ao usode substÂncias psicoativas/terapia adolescente treatment result resultado de tratamento distribuiÇÃo por sexo adolescent behavior adolescent comorbidade comorbidity gender distribuition/therapy

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