The Characteristics of Tobacco, Alcohol and Substance Use Among the Children Who Apply to Protection Centers in Istanbul
Abstract
Objective: Despite the fact that it’s seen that tobacco, alcohol and substance use is widespread among children who apply to protection centers, knowledge about prevalence and characteristics of usage is very rare. In current research it was aimed to investigate the prevalence, onset and characteristics of substance use among the children who use substances and apply to protection centers in İstanbul.
Method: One hundred and ninety four children and adolescents who were under age of 21 and who stayed in protection centers in İstanbul between the years 2002 and 2003 were included in the study. Those who haven’t spent most of the nights with their parents and stayed in the streets at least for the last month were defined as street children. A questionnaire that was developed by the authors and SCID interview form for the DSM IV was used.
Results: %78 of children who were included in the study was found to use substances apart from tobacco and alcohol. The most widely used substances among males were found to be tobacco, inhalants, alcohol and adhesives respectively. Also, the most widely used substances among females were tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and adhesives respectively.
The risk for males to start substance use immediately as they start to live in the street was three times higher and the risk of regular use was ten times higher than females.
Discussion: The prevalence of substance use and addiction among the children living on the street is much higher than their peers. In relation with the findings, the number of prevention and treatment programs for the children living on the streets should be improved.
References
İstanbul İl Sosyal Hizmetler Müdürlüğü Durum Değerlendirme Raporu 2005.
Wansi E, Sam-Abbenyi A, Befidi-Mengue R, Eny-me FN, Ntone FN. Rapid assessment of drug abuse in Cameroon. Bull Nar 1996; 48: 79-88.
Inciardi JA, Surratt HL. Children in the streets of Brazil: drug use, crime, violence, and HIV risks. Subst Use Misuse 1998; 33:1461-80.
Tripathi BM, Lal R. Substance abuse in children and adolescents. Indian J Pediatr 1999; 66: 569-75.
Selassie SG, Gebre A. Rapid assessment of drug abuse in Ethiopia. Bull Narc 1996; 8: 53-63.
Ayaya SO, Esamai FO. Health problems of street children in Eldoret, Kenya. East Afr Med J 2001; 78: 624-9.
Slesnick N, Meade M. System youth: a subgroup of substance-abusing homeless adolescents. J Subst Abuse 2001; 13: 367-84.
Adlaf EM, Zdanowicz YM () A cluster-analytic study of substance problems and mental health among street youths. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 1999; 25: 639-60.
WhitbeckLB,HoytDR,BaoWN.Depressivesymptoms and co-occurring depressive symptoms, substance abuse, and conduct problems among runaway and homeless adolescents. Child Dev 2000; 71: 721-32.
Roy E, Haley N, Leclerc P, Boivin JF, Cedras L, Vin-celette J. Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among street youths. CMAJ 2001; 165: 557-60.
Bailey SL, Camlin CS, Ennett ST. Substance use and risky sexual behavior among homeless and runaway youth. J Adolesc Health 1998; 23: 378-88.
Morakinyo J, Odejide AO. A community based study of patterns of psychoactive substance use among street children in a local government area of Nigeria. Drug Alcohol Depend 2003; 71:109-16.
Ginzler JA, Cochran BN, Domenech-Rodriguez M, Cauce AM, Whitbeck LB. Sequential progression of substance use among homeless youth: an empirical investigation of the gateway theory. Subst Use Misuse2003; 38: 725-58.
T.C. İstanbul Valiliği il Sosyal Hizmetler Müdürlüğü. Sokakta yaşayan ve çalıştırılan çocukların korunması projesi, İstanbul 2002.
Ögel K, Aksoy A, Liman O, Yücel H, Sorgun E, Polat Z. Sokakta yaşayan çocuklara yönelik olarak oluşturulan değerlendirme formunun güvenilirliği. 39. Ulusal Psikiyatri Kongresi, Antalya, s.599.
Özkürkçügil A, Aydemir Ö, Yıldız M ve ark. DSM IV Eksen I bozuklukları için yapılandırılmış klinik görüşmenin Türkçe’ye uyarlanması ve güvenilirlik çalışması. İlaç ve Tedavi Dergisi 1999; 12: 233-236.
Meade MA, Slesnick N. Ethical considerations for research and treatment with runaway and homeless adolescents. J Psychol 2002; 136: 449-463.
Sanci LA, Sawyer SM, Weller PJ, Bond LM, Patton GC. Youth health research ethics: time for a mature-minor clause? Med J Aust 2004; 180: 336-338.
Witting MC, Wright JD, Kaminsky DC. Substance use among street children in Honduras. Substance Use and Misuse1997; 32: 805-27
Noto AR, Nappo SA, Galduroz JC, Mattei R, Car-lini EA. Use of drugs among street children in Brazil. J Psychoactive Drugs 1997; 29:185-92.
Jukowitz JM, Spielmann H, Koehler U, Loani J, Pande A. Drug Use in Nepal: The wiev from street. Substance Use and Misuse 1997; 32: 987-1004.
Ögel K ve ark. Gençlerde madde kullanım yaygınlığı ve özelliklerinin değerlendirilmesi 2001 araştırma sonuçları. Yeniden Sağlık ve Eğitim Derneği 2001; yayın no:2.
Forster LM, Tannhauser M, Barros HM. Drug use among street children in southern Brazil. Drug Alcohol Depend 1996; 43:57-62.
McCaskill PA, ToroPA, Wolfe SM. Homeless andmatc-hed housed adolescents: a comparative study of psychopathology. J Clin Child Psychol 1998; 27:306-19.
Ögel K, Aksoy A, Liman O, Sorgun E (2003b) Sokakta yaşayan çocuklar ve madde kullanımı. Ek-Bil yayıncılık, İstanbul.
Sarah J. Young, Longstaffe S (1999) Inhalant abuse anda buse of other drugs. Am J. Drug Alcohol Abuse, 25: 371-375.
Lowry C (1995) Reaching street youth on substance abuse. World Health forum 16:131-134.
Coombs RH, Fawzy FI, Gerber BE (1986) Pattern of cigarette, alcohol, and other drug use among children and adolescents: A longitudinal study. Int J Addict, 21: 897-973
Polat O (2002) Sokak çocukları. Özgün Ofset, İstanbul.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Dependence
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
...