[Indicated prevention of problematic drug consumption in adolescents of barcelona, Spain]. / Prevención indicada del consumo problemático de drogas en adolescentes de Barcelona.

BACKGROUND: The Drugs Advice Service (SOD in its Catalan acronym) in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) provides an Information and Guidance Program (IGP) for teenagers, and an Alternative Measures Program (AMP) targeting minors fined for consumption / possession of illegal drugs in public spaces. This study describes these programs and compares the profiles of their users. METHODS: Cross-sectional descriptive study of 1,010 people discharged from the two SOD programs in 2008-10 after screening for psychiatric disorders and addiction and an extended brief intervention for subjects without pathology. The profiles of the users were compared, and age-specific rates of AMP use were calculated. RESULTS: Cannabis causes 89.9% of entries in the SOD. The proportion of IGP users with high risk criteria for cannabis is 13.3% and with risk for alcohol 11.3%, while in AMP it is 8.9%, and 4%. Criteria for substance dependence or abuse or another psychiatric disorder caused referral of 6% of AMP users and 38% of IGP users. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents in the AMP had a pattern of cannabis use (and often of alcohol) of low or moderate risk, compared to IGP. Beyond the value of the indicated prevention intervention, the programmes facilitate the early detection and referral of problematic substance use and mental disorders in early stages.

Prevención indicada del consumo problemático de drogas en adolescentes de Barcelona / Indicated prevention of problematic drug consumption in adolescents of Barcelona, Spain

Fundamentos: El Servicio de Orientación sobre Drogas (SOD) de Barcelona ofrece un programa de Información y Orientación (PIO) para adolescentes y un Programa deMedidasAlternativas (PMA) a menores sancionados por consumo/tenencia de drogas en la vía pública. El objetivo de este trabajo es describirlos y comparar los perfiles de los usuarios en cada uno de ellos. Métodos: Estudio transversal descriptivo de 1.010 personas atendidas en ambos programas durante el período 2008-2010, con cribado de patología psiquiátrica y adicción e intervención breve extendida en consumidores sin indicios de patología. Se compararon los perfiles de los usuarios y se calcularon las tasas de uso del PMA por edad. Resultados: El cannabis motivó el 89,9% de entradas en el Servicio. Entre los usuarios del PIO el consumo de alto riesgo de cannabis fue del 13,1% y el consumo de riesgo de alcohol del 11,3%. Entre los usuarios del PMA los consumos fueron del 8,9 y 4% respectivamente. El 38% de los usuarios del PIO y el 6% de los del PMA se derivaron a atención especializada por presentar criterios de abuso o dependencia a alguna sustancia psicoactiva u otro trastorno psiquiátrico. Conclusiones: Los adolescentes atendidos en PMA hacen un consumo de cannabis (y en muchos casos de alcohol) de riesgo bajo o moderado comparados con los del PIO. Además del valor de la intervención preventiva indicada, los programas facilitan la detección precoz de consumos problemáticos o trastornos mentales incipientes y su derivación(AU)

Background: The Drugs Advice Service (SOD in its Catalan acronym) in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain) provides an Information and Guidance Program (IGP) for teenagers, and an Alternative Measures Program (AMP) targeting minors fined for consumption / possession of illegal drugs in public spaces. This study describes these programs and compares the profiles of their users. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study of 1,010 people discharged from the two SOD programs in 2008-10 after screening for psychiatric disorders and addiction and an extended brief intervention for subjects without pathology. The profiles of the users were compared, and age-specific rates ofAMP use were calculated. Results: Cannabis causes 89.9% of entries in the SOD. The proportion of IGP users with high risk criteria for cannabis is 13.3% and with risk for alcohol 11.3%, while in AMP it is 8.9%, and 4%. Criteria for substance dependence or abuse or another psychiatric disorder caused referral of 6% ofAMP users and 38% of IGP users. Conclusions: Adolescents in theAMP had a pattern of cannabis use (and often of alcohol) of low ormoderate risk, compared to IGP. Beyond the value of the indicated prevention intervention, the programmes facilitate the early detection and referral of problematic substance use and mental disorders in early stages(AU)