Patterns of drug abuse in persons referred to the drug rehabilitation unit in Barbados - abstract

ABSTRACT

The problem of drug abuse in Barbados has undergone dramatic change in the last twenty years. To the tradition of alcohol use, cannabis was first introduced in the 1970s and cocaine in the mid-1980s. The aim of this study was to examine the patterns of drug use in persons referred to the Drug Rehabilitation Unit with particular reference to referral practices and demographic factors. Data on demographics, sources of referral, and reported drugs of abuse over a ten-month period were obtained from the assessment book of the Unit and augmented from case notes. A total of 197 cses were analysed, consisting of 182 males and only 15 females. The mean age was 31 years with a range of 14 to 69 years. The subjects were representative of the general population in terms of their parish of residence. The ward of the Pschiatric Hospital accounted for most of the referrals (53.6 percent), with self referrals (16.2 percent) coming second. Polydrug abuse was the most common finding (34 percent), followed in rank order by abuse of cannabis, alcohol and cocaine. The most common form of polydrug abuse was a combnation of alcohol, cannabis and cocaine (67 percent). When the pattern of abuse was examined with respect to age, use of cannabis was the most common in the adolescents (71.1 percent), declining to 3.8 percent in the over 44-year old age group. Conversely, alcohol abuse was most common in the more than 44 year-old age group (69.2 percent) with only 2.6 percent in the 16-21 year-old age group. The greatest use of cocaine, either alone or in combination with other drugs, occurred in the 27 - 32 year-old age group. There is cause for concern about the use of cannabis in the adolescent, and the possible introduction of cocaine at this age, resulting in further use during the productive years of adulthood. Polydrug use is also widespread, and this form of abuse is known to have more serious consequences. The necessity to facilitate the treatment and rehabilitation of female drug abusers, and the need for community - based surveys are also recognised. (AU)