Prevalence study of serious substance abusers in the Czech Republic.

In October of 1995, a prevalence study of serious substance abusers was carried out in the Czech Republic. The prevalence study focused on: 1. persons hospitalized because of drug addiction as of 31.10.1995; 2. persons who visited one of the treatment/contact centres during October of 1995. Data on serious addictive substance abusers were collected from 142 treatment/contact centres. The overall prevalence in the 15-39-year age group is 30.3/100,000 inhabitants, the highest in Prague (115.0/100,000 inhabitants), followed by Northern Bohemia (34.1) and Northern Moravia (32.0). The most frequently used primary drug remains pervitin (349 users, i.e. 35.5%), followed by heroin in the second place (126, i.e. 12.9%), marihuana in the third place (94, i.e. 9.4%) and toluene in the fourth place (81, 8.1%). The 15-19-year age group is the most affected, and corresponds to 36.9% of all users. In this age category, women predominate (47.2% of all users). Heroin is equally used in the 15-19-year and 20-24-year age groups, while pervitin is used most in the 15-19-year age group, as are marihuana and toluene; the frequency of gambling increases more or less with age. Heroin is used most in Northern Bohemia (48.4%) and Prague (24.6%), and pervitin in Prague (34.7%) and Northern Moravia (18.9%). Data on injection administration of drugs, which is dangerous because of the possibility of transmission of hepatitis and HIV, confirm that almost two thirds of all users prefer this means of application. The great majority of all serious abusers are persons with only elementary schooling.