Routes of Administration of Illicit Drugs among Young Swiss Men: Their Prevalence and Associated Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Adverse Outcomes

Natalia Estévez-Lamorte, Simon Foster, Gerhard Gmel and Meichun Mohler-Kuo
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Natalia Estévez-Lamorte: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Simon Foster: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
Gerhard Gmel: Alcohol Treatment Centre, Lausanne University Hospital CHUV, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
Meichun Mohler-Kuo: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: The prevalence of different routes of administration (ROAs) of illicit drugs other than cannabis was examined in young Swiss men, in addition to the association between socio-demographics and adverse outcomes and particular ROAs. Our sample consisted of 754 men (mean age = 25.4 ± 1.2 years) who participated in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors and reported using any of 18 illicit drugs over the last 12 months. Prevalence estimates were calculated for oral use, nasal use, smoking, injecting, and other ROAs. Associations between ROAs and socio-demographics and adverse outcomes (i.e., alcohol use disorder (AUD), suicidal ideations, and health and social consequences) were calculated for using single versus multiple ROAs. The most prevalent ROA was oral use (71.8%), followed by nasal use (59.2%), smoking (22.1%), injecting (1.1%), and other ROAs (1.7%). Subjects’ education, financial autonomy, and civil status were associated with specific ROAs. Smoking was associated with suicidal ideations and adverse health consequences and multiple ROAs with AUD, suicidal ideations, and health and social consequences. The most problematic pattern of drug use among young adults appears to be using multiple ROAs, followed by smoking. Strategies to prevent and reduce the use of such practices are needed to avoid adverse outcomes at this young age.

Keywords: routes of drug administration; oral use; nasal use; smoking; injecting; alcohol use disorder; suicidal ideations; social consequences; health consequences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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