[Prevalence of mental disorders and psychoactive substance use in metropolitan 17-year old youth population].

AIM

To determine the extent to which mental disorders (depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders) and psychoactive substance use are prevalent among Krakow secondary school adolescents in the late adolescent phase.

METHOD

A representative sample of the population of Krakow secondary school pupils was tested. Two-stage draw method identified a group of 1933 2nd form pupils of all types of secondary schools: grammar schools, technical schools and vocational schools (17-year-olds). They were tested using the following screening questionnaires: Beck Depression Scale, EAT-26 eating disorders scale, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (Leyton) scale and the author's drug questionnaire.

RESULTS

Girls declared symptoms of mental disorders twice as often as boys (41.2% vs. 22.7%). Among girls, the most common disorders were: depressive symptoms (33.6%), eating disorder symptoms (18.7%) and obsessive-compulsive disorders (5.4%). And in the boys group: depressive symptoms (22.7%), eating disorder (7.3%) and obsessive-compulsive symptoms (3.4%). Findings were obtained concerning the prevalence of substance use in the boys and girls group (73% vs. 68%), mainly alcohol, as well as alcohol and cigarettes and alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of mental disorders in the population of 17-year-olds is significant; it concerns especially depressive symptoms and eating disorder symptoms. A significant prevalence of psychoactive substance use was found in this age group, mainly alcohol and mixed type substance use: alcohol and cigarettes and alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.