Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development

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Substance Use: Risk Factors among Male Street Children in Delhi


Affiliations
1 Department of Community Medicine, SIMS, Hapur, U.P., India
2 Department of Community Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
3 Department of Community Medicine, Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences, Hapur, U.P., India
     

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Background: Street children are often at greater risk of drug abuse and drug related morbidities than the general population. In fact, the very individuals who might benefit the most from drug abuse treatment and prevention efforts are the least studied, the least understood and the most elusive to clinicians, researchers and others concerned with understanding and improving the health of the street children. Objectives: To know the magnitude and socio-demographic risk factors of substance use among male street children in Delhi.

Materials and Methods: 242 adolescent male street children were interviewed by oral questionnaire method at the time of registration at a Non Governmental Organization working for them.

Results: More than half (54.5%) of the subjects were indulged in substance use. The commonly used substances were tobacco (49.2%), inhalants (19.0%), alcohol (16.9%) and ganja (11.6%). Substance use was found to be significantly associated with age of study subjects (p<0.05), level of education (p<0.05), duration since leaving home (p<0.001), working status (p<0.01), substance use in parents (p<0.01), domestic violence in the family (p<0.001) and history of physical abuse (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Substance use in street children was found to be significantly associated with substance use in parents, domestic violence in the family and physical abuse. Effective drug prevention and support programs for street children should be formulated.


Keywords

Risk Behaviour, Street Children, Adolescents, Salaam Baalak Trust, Substance Use
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  • Substance Use: Risk Factors among Male Street Children in Delhi

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Authors

Sachin Gupta
Department of Community Medicine, SIMS, Hapur, U.P., India
Jyoti Khandekar
Department of Community Medicine, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India
Nidhi Gupta
Department of Community Medicine, Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences, Hapur, U.P., India

Abstract


Background: Street children are often at greater risk of drug abuse and drug related morbidities than the general population. In fact, the very individuals who might benefit the most from drug abuse treatment and prevention efforts are the least studied, the least understood and the most elusive to clinicians, researchers and others concerned with understanding and improving the health of the street children. Objectives: To know the magnitude and socio-demographic risk factors of substance use among male street children in Delhi.

Materials and Methods: 242 adolescent male street children were interviewed by oral questionnaire method at the time of registration at a Non Governmental Organization working for them.

Results: More than half (54.5%) of the subjects were indulged in substance use. The commonly used substances were tobacco (49.2%), inhalants (19.0%), alcohol (16.9%) and ganja (11.6%). Substance use was found to be significantly associated with age of study subjects (p<0.05), level of education (p<0.05), duration since leaving home (p<0.001), working status (p<0.01), substance use in parents (p<0.01), domestic violence in the family (p<0.001) and history of physical abuse (p<0.001).

Conclusions: Substance use in street children was found to be significantly associated with substance use in parents, domestic violence in the family and physical abuse. Effective drug prevention and support programs for street children should be formulated.


Keywords


Risk Behaviour, Street Children, Adolescents, Salaam Baalak Trust, Substance Use

References