Prevalence of and risk factors for methamphetamine use in northern Thai youth: results of an audio-computer-assisted self-interviewing survey with urine testing

• Published in: Addiction (Abingdon, England) England), 2002-07, Vol.97 (7), p.801-808
• Main Authors: Sattah, Martin V., Supawitkul, Somsak, Dondero, Timothy J., Kilmarx, Peter H., Young, Nancy L., Mastro, Timothy D., Chaikummao, Supaporn, Manopaiboon, Chomnad, Griensven, Frits van
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescents; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System Stimulants - adverse effects; Central Nervous System Stimulants - urine; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Abuse; Drug addiction; Drug use; Drugs; Female; Health; Humans; Interviews; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Methamphetamine; Methamphetamine - adverse effects; Methamphetamine - urine; Multivariate Analysis; Odds Ratio; Prevalence; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk; Risk Factors; Social problems; Software; South-East Asia; Students; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Thailand; Thailand - epidemiology; Vocational education; Young Adults; Youth
• ISSN: 0965-2140; 1360-0443
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00131.x

ABSTRACT Aims Data from drug treatment facilities, drug seizures and drug arrests suggest rapidly increasing methamphetamine use by adolescents in Thailand. However, limited quantitative data are available about the prevalence of its use or correlates of use. The purpose of our study was therefore to estimate the prevalence of methamphetamine use and to identify possible risk factors. Design Cross‐sectional survey using anonymous audio‐computer‐assisted self‐interview and urine specimen analysis. Setting Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. Participants 1725 students, 15–21 years of age (893 male and 832 female) attending one of three vocational schools in Chiang Rai Province. Findings Three hundred and fifty male and 150 female students reported a history of having ever used methamphetamine. In addition, 128 male and 49 female students had positive urine test results, indicating recent methamphetamine use; 27 of these students denied having ever used methamphetamine. According to history, urine test, or both, 41.3% of male students and 19.0% of female students used methamphetamine. In multivariate analysis, methamphetamine use was highly correlated with the use of other substances, sexual activity, peer pressure, positive attitudes toward methamphetamine, and absence of a family confidant. Conclusions Methamphetamine use is common among adolescent students in northern Thailand. Demographic, behavioral and psychosocial correlates of methamphetamine use identified in this study may be helpful for the design and implementation of preventive interventions.