The Survey on Opiate Abuse at Six Areas in Hunan Province,Part II:Use Patterns and Demographical Characteristics of Opiate Abusers / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To understand the use patterns, initial abuse age, initial abuse reasons and the demographic characteristic of opiates abusers at six areas in Hunan Province. Methods: Combined stratified cluster-sampling, household and cue investigation, 370 opiate abusers from 68 192 community residents aged between 15 and 50 years were interviewed. Results:About 95% opiate abuses reported that they had abused heroin in their life time, and the other had abused dolantin and/or methadone. Inhalation and Injection were the first two ways of administration (81.4% and 38.6%). The average initial abuse age was 27?6 years, 90.2% abuses reported that they had abused illicit drug before 35 years. Curiosity, peer pressures and exciting seeking were the first three main reasons of initial abuse (75.1%, 72.7% and 56.5%, respectively). Opiates abusers tended to be male (87.3%), young people aged below 35 years (71.1%), and 78.7% of the abusers got only junior school or below education. Subjects with unstable occupation and marital status had higher use rate than those with stable ones.Conclusion:Heroin was the major opiates abused, the main administration was inhalation and injection in Hunan Province. Young and middle aged male with low educational level or without stable occupation or marital status were the majority of opiates abusers.