Risk and Protective Factors for the Use of Illicit Drugs: Perspective of the Users.

ABSTRACT: This article aimed to describe the perspective of people who make harmful use of illicit substances on the contributions of risk and protective factors to the development of problems related to drug use. One hundred eleven participants were recruited from a health service for drug users in a city in the interior of the state of São Paulo through posters with information, distribution of brochures, and snowball sampling technique. The sample consists of 51.9% men and 48.1% women, with 81.3% single and 10.3% married. Among them, 54.2% of participants completed high school, 64.1% were Catholic, and 34% rarely practiced their religion. The results on risk factors were classified into three domains, namely, "personal characteristics and behaviors," "family circumstances," and "other social pressures," and those on protective factors were also classified into three domains, namely, "personal characteristics and behaviors," "family circumstances," and "circumstances in the community." The data make it possible to guide the incorporation of multiple strategies to protect the consumption of illicit drugs in human biopsychosocial development, especially among children and adolescents.

General Beliefs About Illicit Drug Use and Stigma: Perspective of People Who Use Illicit Drugs.

People who use illicit drugs are continuously subjected to harsh stigmatization from society. This study explores the perspectives of people who use illicit drugs, specifically their general beliefs about illicit drug use and related stigma. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was used, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The participants were recruited in a Psychosocial Care Centre (CAPSad) of a municipality in the state of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Findings revealed that illicit drug use can cause individual, family, professional and social difficulties, including problems with the law. The participants indicated they felt victimized by illicit drugs and their use, but also shared prejudicial and discriminatory views, highlighting self-stigmatizing perspectives. There is a need to develop intervention studies with a psychosocial approach on the use of illicit drugs, valuing the person's participation in the treatment, covering biomedical approaches, having in mind the social impact of illicit drugs and their use.

Perspectives About Treatment Services From People Who Use Illicit Drugs.

The objective of the current study was to describe the perspectives of people who use illicit drugs regarding the availability and effectiveness of drug treatment services. A total of 111 participants with illicit drug use experience were recruited from an inner city community in São Paulo, Brazil. Treatment services were considered to be essential and necessary by the majority of participants, whereas general hospitals and mental health services were considered to be the most highly available treatment options for illicit drug use. Participants also indicated that treatment led to positive changes in their lives, highlighting the importance of drug treatment services for promoting the rights and responsibilities of people who use illicit drugs. Results support the need for services that value and respect the fundamental rights of people who use illicit drugs. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(4), 28-37.].