Socioeconomic factors associated with drug consumption in Mexico.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Illicit drug consumption in Mexico has been growing constantly and has begun to be a public health problem. The aim of this study is to identify the principal characteristics and socioeconomic variables associated with consumption of illegal drugs in Mexico. METHODS: Using information from the 2016 national addictions survey in Mexico, we develop a logistic regression model to determine the variables associated with drug consumption, sometime in lifetime or recently, in the general population of Mexico. RESULTS: Analyzing information from 56,877 persons, the prevalence of the use of illicit drugs at least once in lifetime was 15.4% and 3.6% for males and females, respectively. The variables associated with more consumption of illegal drugs was utilization of substances with alcohol (RR 9.3; 95% CI 7.9-10.8) and nicotine products (RR 4.7; 95% CI 4.3-5.1), male gender (RR 2.6; 95% CI 2.4-2.8), and relatives' drug consumption (RR 2.1; 95% CI 1.8-2.4). CONCLUSIONS: Having more education, being older, and having a partner was associated with lower illicit drug consumption sometime in lifetime; in the case of recent consumption, in addition, having a job or active child-rearing in the house in a positive sense.