DROGAS ILÍCITAS ? PREVALÊNCIA E FATORES ASSOCIADOS AO USO EM ADOLESCENTES DE PELOTAS ? RS

by HORTA, LÚCIA LESSA

Objective: To assess the prevalence and the factors associated to the use of marijuana, solvents and cocaine, during lifetime and the last month, among adolescents living in the urban area of a southern Brazilian city.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and October, 2002. A systematic sample of 90 census tract was draw and 86 households in each census tract were visited, all adolescents aged between 15 and 18 years old were interviewed. They answered to a self-respondent questionnaire, and laid their questionnaire in a bullet-box. The adolescent who stated to have used any of the three drugs, at least once in life, was considered as a user.Results: 960 adolescents answered to the questionnaire, 79 were lost. The prevalence of lifetime and the last month use of any drug were, respectively, 14,3% and 8,6%. The highest prevalence of use was of marijuana, followed bysolvents and, in third place, cocaine. The main risk factors for drug use in lifewere grade retention 1.89 (95% Confidence Interval ? CI - 1,23 ? 2,91), smoking 7,68 (95% CI 3,73 ? 15,81) and alcohol use 2,03 (95% CI 1,31 ? 3,16).Conclusions: This study shows the association of the marijuana, solvents and cocaine to smoking and drinking. Besides this, the prevalence of cocaine use during last life and during last month were similar, indicating that the majority ofthe adolescents that try this drug, go on using it