Dhawan Anju, Mishra Ashwani Kumar, Chatterjee Biswadip, Bhatia Gayatri, Ambekar Atul, Agarwal Alok, Bhargava Rachna, Chopra Anita
National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, India.
Indian J Psychol Med. 2024 Jan;46(1):46-54. doi: 10.1177/02537176231199209. Epub 2023 Oct 31.
Street children are vulnerable to adverse health and risk behaviors and drug use. Substance use among street children has been well documented in several countries. This study reports sociodemographic and peer, family, and stress-related factors associated with substance use and non-use in a representative sample of street children of Delhi.
This cross-sectional survey was conducted through six NGOs working with street children, using Respondent Driven Sampling, in nine districts of Delhi (n = 766, 7-18 years). The multivariable model was developed by applying binary logistic regression analysis.
The rate of substance use was 49%. Significant association was found between substance use in the past year and increasing age [Odds Ratio: OR (95% Confidence Interval)] [1.22(1.12,1.33)], male sex [4.34 (2.28,8.26)], lacking psychosocial support from family/relatives [3.27(1.84,5.80)], being engaged in earning from illegal sources, [3.04(1.75,5.29)], family use of substance [2.59(1.38,4.89)], presence of substance-using peers [29.86(14.38,62.01)], lack of non-drug-using peers [2.35(1.46,3.79)], and not possessing basic amenities [2.26(1.31,3.93)].
Multiple modifiable factors exist within the family and peer group, including risk and protective factors or a consequence of substance use. Some challenges in the form of difficulty in reaching out to them and poor treatment seeking by those using substances warrant intensification in both primary and secondary prevention initiatives.
街头儿童易出现不良健康状况、危险行为及药物使用问题。街头儿童中的药物使用情况在多个国家都有详尽记录。本研究报告了德里街头儿童代表性样本中与药物使用及未使用相关的社会人口学、同伴、家庭和压力相关因素。
这项横断面调查通过六个与街头儿童合作的非政府组织，采用应答驱动抽样法，在德里的九个区开展（n = 766，年龄7 - 18岁）。通过应用二元逻辑回归分析建立多变量模型。
药物使用率为49%。发现过去一年的药物使用与年龄增长[比值比：OR（95%置信区间）][1.22（1.12,1.33）]、男性[4.34（2.28,8.26）]、缺乏来自家庭/亲属的心理社会支持[3.27（1.84,5.80）]、从事非法收入活动[3.04（1.75,5.29）]、家庭药物使用[2.59（1.38,4.89）]、有使用药物的同伴[29.86（14.38,62.01）]、缺乏不使用药物的同伴[2.35（1.46,3.79）]以及不具备基本生活设施[2.26（1.31,3.93）]之间存在显著关联。
家庭和同伴群体中存在多种可改变的因素，包括风险和保护因素或药物使用的后果。在接触他们方面存在困难以及药物使用者寻求治疗的意愿较低等形式的一些挑战，需要加强一级和二级预防举措。
