Polyconsommation de drogues chez des consommateurs cherchant un traitement à Sétif entre janvier-mars 2020 facteurs de risque et séquence d’initiation

Abstract

Introduction: Polydrug use is a widespread and particularly problematic global phenomenon. While generating economic, behavioral and social consequences, it also engenders a serious handicap towards public health. Its study is therefore essential for our country. Our study aim on the first place the determination of the prevalence of polydrug use, secondly the identification of polydrug use predictors and the sequences of progression in drug use. Methods: In the present work, the prevalence of polydrug use was estimated for drug addicts seeking treatment at Setif (CHU Toxicology Laboratory and EPSP Bel Air). A questionnaire was established to collect the data necessary for the study. A set of risk factors that are potentially associated with it were studied using two logistic regression models, one univariate, and the other multivariate. Data analysis was performed using MS Excel ™ tool and R open-source free software. Results: The prevalence of polydrug use was found to be 69.39% including 91.18% of simultaneous polydrug use and 8.82% of concurrent polydrug use. The three risk factors that were found to be significant were age (over 18), beliefs in favor of drugs, and free offers of drugs. The commonly observed initiation sequence was Tobacco-Cannabis-Other Illicit Drugs, while Tobacco was established to be the major gateway drug in our sample. Conclusion: The obtained results make it possible to have a clearer idea of the extent of poly drug use in order to be able to counter it. The fight against identified risk factors such as free drugs, the belief in favor of drugs targeting subjects over 18 years of age, could significantly reduce the prevalence of the phenomenon of poly drug use. In addition, Tobacco being established as a preferred gateway drug, legal and social coercion measures would be able to reduce its supposed gateway effect.