Consumo de sustancias y conductas de riesgo en consumidores de pasta base de cacaína no consultantes a servicios de rehabilitación / Substance use and risk behaviors of out-of-treatment cocaine base paste and cocaine hydrochloride users

Background: In Chile, cocaine base paste (CBP) is the illegal substance that produces the highest rate of addiction. Nonetheless, a marginal number of users receive treatment each year. Aim: To compare the consumption patterns and risk behavior of CBP and cocaine hydrochloride (CH) users who do not attend rehabilitation services. Material and Methods: In a prospective research design, through a study methodology called Privileged Access Interview of hidden populations, 28 surveyors recruited 231 CBP users (group 1) and 236 CH users (group 2). The Risk Behavior Questionnaire was applied in four communities of Metropolitan Santiago, that have the highest prevalence of PBC and CH use. Results: CBP users showed higher schools drop-out and unemployment rates. Subjects of both groups were predominantly polysubstance and polyaddicted users. The severity of addiction to CBP of group 1 was significantly higher than the severity of addiction to CH of group 2 (5.5 versus 5.1: p<0.001). CBP users showed significantly higher rates of sexual risk behaviors, antisocial behavior, self infliction of injuries, suicide attempt and child neglect. Conclusions: A higher vulnerability was shown for users of CBP than those of CH. Attention is drawn to the need for developing community interventions in order to alter substance abuse and the risk behavior of these vulnerable groups.

Patrones de consumo de sustancias de una muestra no consultante de consumidores de pasta base de cocaína / Patterns of substance use of out-of-treatment cocaine base paste users

Introducción: En Chile, el consumo de Pasta Base de Cocaína (PBC) se ha asociado a marginalidad y micronarcotráfico. Es posible que en nuestro país exista una población de consumidores de PBC oculta a los estudios de población general y a los servicios sanitarios. El objetivo fue caracterizar una muestra de consumidores de PBC que no han recibido tratamiento reciente por abuso de sustancias utilizando la Entrevista de Acceso Privilegiado. Método: Se entrenaron 9 entrevistadores, con acceso a consumidores de PBC en las comunas de San Joaquín y La Pintana, en la administración de una encuesta sobre patrones de consumo y conductas de riesgo. Resultados: se reclutaron 160 sujetos con una mediana de edad de 21 años (mín: 12; máx: 46) de los cuales 99 fueron hombres (61,9 por ciento). La PBC fue la sustancia primaria de consumo en 136 sujetos (85 por ciento) con una mediana de días de consumo en el último mes de 23 (mín: 1; máx: 30) y una cantidad mediana de consumo de 4,2 gr/día (mín: 1; máx: 75). La edad mediana de inicio de consumo de PBC fue de 16 años (mín: 8; máx: 37). Conclusiones: el patrón de consumo de sustancias de esta muestra no consultante parece ser de mayor severidad que el patrón de consumo de una muestra de población general reportada en el Estudio Nacional de consumo de Sustancias (CONACE 2000) en las mismas comunas. La muestra descrita, o parte de ella, pudiera constituir una población oculta de consumidores de PBC.

Background: In Chile, crack or free-base Cocaine (FBC) use is associated with social isolation and drug traffic. This fact might be conditioning a hidden population of CBP users. The aim of the study was to characterize a sample of out-of-treatment CBP users by means of Privileged Access Interviewing in two districts of Santiago. Methods: Nine privileged access interviewers were trained to administer a questionnaire about substance use patterns and related risk behaviors. Results: 160 CBP users were recruited. The median age of the sample was 21 years (min: 12; max: 46). Gender distribution was 61,9 percent male. CBP was the primary abused substance in 85 percent of the sample. The median days of use in the last month was 23 days (min: 0; max: 30) and the median daily dose in the last month was 4,2 gr/day (min:0; max:75). The median age of onset of CBP use was 16 years (min: 8; max: 37). Conclusions: The pattern of substance use of this out-of-treatment sample seems to be more serious than the pattern of a general population sample reported by a National Survey in the same territorial areas. This sample, or part of it, might be a hidden population of CBP users.