Drug use among street children and adolescents: what helps?

• Published in: Cadernos de saúde pública Vol. 28; no. 7; pp. 1371 - 1380
• Main Authors: Moura, Yone Gonçalves de, Sanchez, Zila M, Opaleye, Emérita S, Neiva-Silva, Lucas, Koller, Silvia H, Noto, Ana R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz 01.07.2012
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Brazil; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Children; Cross-Sectional Studies; Domestic Violence; Drug Abuse; Educational Status; Family; Family Violence; Female; Homeless Youth - psychology; Homeless Youth - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Male; Public Schools; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Risk Factors; Street Drugs; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Suffering; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Nations; Urban Population; Brazil; Street Drugs; Menores de Rua; Adolescent; Homeless Youth; Child; Drogas Ilícitas; Criança; Adolescente
• ISSN: 0102-311X; 1678-4464; 1678-4464; 0102-311X
• DOI: 10.1590/S0102-311X2012000700015

The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated to frequent and heavy drug use among street children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. A sample of 2,807 street children and adolescents from the 27 Brazilian state capital cities was analyzed. A World Health Organization questionnaire for non-students was adapted for use in Brazil. Data analysis was performed using logistic regression and decision tree models. Factors inversely associated with frequent and heavy drug use were: being age nine to 11 years (OR = 0.1); school attendance (OR = 0.3); daily time (one to five hours) spent on the streets (OR = 0.3 and 0.4); not sleeping on the streets (OR = 0.4); being on the streets for less than one year (OR = 0.4); maintenance of some family bonds (OR = 0.5); presence on the streets of a family member (OR = 0.6); not suffering domestic violence (OR = 0.6); being female (OR = 0.8). All of these variables were significant at the p < 0.05 level. The findings suggest that being younger, having family bonds and engagement in school are important protective factors that affect drug use among this population and should be considered in the formulation of public policies.