The profile of drug users in Tunisia: Implications for prevention

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.sidebar##

Published Jan 18, 2017
Download
pdf
Vol. 94 No. 8 (2016): Issue Aug 2016

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Rim Sellami
Ines Feki
Abdelmajid Zahaf
Jawaher Masmoudi

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Background: Despite cultural, religious, and legal constraints on Muslims against the consumption of drugs, usage and misuse do exist. Drug addiction in Tunisia is a wide-spread problem and is destroying the lives of many individuals and families.
Aims: To examine the socio-demographic characteristics of substance users and to identify the drugs commonly used.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all the patients admitted at the addiction treatment center ''Aide et Ecoute'' in the period from January 2014 to September 2014 formed the sample of the present study.
Results: Only two hundred males were found to get treatment in the addiction center for various addictions. Among them, 65.9% were not married and 59.5 % had involvement with criminal justice. The mean age was 33.32 years and the mean age for starting substance use was 17.30 years. Substance use was higher (90.6%) in less educated people (secondary or below) and in urban population (73.2%). The most common substance misused was Buprenorphine (34.8%). There was a significant relation between buprenorphine consumption and immigration p= 0.013.
Conclusion: Our observations point towards the vulnerability of younger age and immigrated population towards substance use and hence, it is proposed preventive health policies in this regard.

Keywords:

Addiction, Buprenorphine, Immigration, Injection drug use.

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

References

  1. Ortiz A. Development of a system for registry of information on drug use in Mexico. Bull Pan Am Health Organ 1990;24(1):46-52.
  2. Zaki H, Yassine O, Khalloufi H, Taibi H, Toufiq J, El Omari F. Addiction aux Opiacés et à la cocaine au Maroc. Expérience du Centre national de prévention et de recherche en toxicomanie. Alcoologie et Addictologie 2010; 32(1):33-39.
  3. Prajapati A, Thakkar J, Parikh S, Bala DB. A study of socio-demographic profile of substance abusers other than tobacco abuse attending a de-addiction centre in ahmedabad city. Int J Med Sci 2013; 2(4):931-934.
  4. Naskar NN, Roy M, Bhattacharya SK. A study of some socioeconomic Factors on Drug abuse among the Undergraduate Medical Students in Calcutta. Indian J Community Med 2004; 29(2):69-71.
  5. Manoudi F, Boutabia S, Asri, F, Tazi I. Epidemiologic approach of drug-addiction in the University of Marrakesh (Morocco). Ann Med Psychol 2010;168: 698-701.
  6. Rather YH, Bashir W, Sheikh AA, Amin M, Zahgeer YA. Socio-demographic and Clinical Profile of Substance Abusers Attending a Regional Drug De-addiction Centre in Chronic Conflict Area: Kashmir, India. Malays J Med Sci 2013; 20 (3):31-8.
  7. Venkatesan J, Suresh SS. Substance dependence: Decades apart in a teaching hospital. Indian J Psychiatry 2008; 50(2):100-105.
  8. Seth R, Kotwal A, Ganguly KK. Street and working children in Delhi, India, misusing toluene: An ethnographic exploration. Subst Use Misuse 2005; 40 (11):1659-1679.
  9. Waraich BK, Chavan BS, Raj L. Inhalant abuse: A growing public health concern in India. Addiction 2003; 98(8):1169.
  10. Mohd MS. The relationship between the age of onset for delinquent behavior and chronic drug abuse among adolescents. Malaysian Anti-Drugs Journal 2007; (2): 97-110.
  11. Zhang L, Wieczorek W. The impact of age of onset of substance use on delinquency. J Res Crime Delinq 1997; 34: 253−270.
  12. Fatoye FO. Psychosocial correlates of substance use amongst secondary school students in south western Nigeria. East Afr Med J 2003; 80 (3):154-8.
  13. Uosukainen H, Ilomäki J, Kauhanen J et al. Factors associated with buprenorphine compared to amphetamine abuse among clients seeking treatment in Finland. J Subst Abuse Treat 2014; 46(5):561-6.
  14. Almarris TS, Oei TP. Alcohol and substance use in the Arabian Gulf region: A review. Int J Psychol 2009; 44(3):222-33.
  15. Cicero TJ, Ellis MS, Surratt HL, Kurtz SP. Factors contributing to the rise of buprenorphine misuse: 2008-2013. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 142: 98-104.
  16. Cicero TJ, Surratt HL, Inciardi J. Use and misuse of buprenorphine in the management of opioid addiction. J Opioid Manag 2007; 3:302-308.
  17. Trimbitas RD, Serghini FZ, Lazaar F, Baha W, Foullous A, Essalhi M et al. The “hidden” epidemic: A snapshot of Moroccan intravenous drug users. Virol J 2014; 11:43.
  18. Abou Khatwa SA, Kamel FA, Youssef RM, Attia MS, Fawal K. Epidemiological study of addicts admitted to Maamoura Psychiatric Hospital in Alexandria. J Egypt Public Health Assoc 1997; 72(1-2):87-112.
  19. Alverson H, Alverson M, Drake RE. Social patterns of substance use among people with dual diagnoses. Ment Health Serv Res 2001;3 (1):3 -14.
  20. Sells DJ, Rowe M, Fisk D. Violent victimization of persons with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders. Psychiatr Serv 2003; 54 (9):1253-57.