ABSTRACT
INTRODUCCION: La "jarra loca" es una mezcla de bebidas alcohólicas y medicamentos, que utilizan los jóvenes como modalidad de abuso. En los últimos años, además de psicofármacos, los jóvenes mezclan hipoglucemiantes, lo que puede producir secuelas neurológicas irreversibles o la muerte, según la dosis ingerida y el tiempo de duración de la hipoglucemia.OBJETIVO: Conocer la prevalencia de consumo de alcohol y medicamentos en los adolescentes de 12 a 18 años que concurren a distintas escuelas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.METODOS: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal. Incluyó una encuesta descriptiva, llevada a cabo en cuatro escuelas del Partido de Tres de Febrero. Se organizaron talleres para intercambiar conocimientos y experiencias con los alumnos y se entregó material gráfico informativo.RESULTADOS: Se realizaron 977 encuestas. El 49% de los alumnos dijo consumir bebidas alcohólicas durante las salidas con amigos. El 8% (N = 78) señaló que consumía "jarra loca", y el 49% indicó que sus amigos lo hacían. De los 21 alumnos que al menos en una oportunidad requirieron atención médica después de haber tomado bebidas alcohólicas, 17 habían consumido "jarra loca". El 55% de los encuestados desconocía el uso de las pastillas mezcladas en la "jarra loca".CONCLUSIONES: Este estudio muestra el inicio temprano del consumo de alcohol y "jarra loca" en los adolescentes, y revela que éstos ignoran el riesgo que implica mezclar alcohol y medicamentos.
INTRODUCTION: The "jarra loca" (crazy jar) is a mixture of alcohol and drugs used by young people as a form of abuse. In recent years, in addition to psychotropic drugs, young people have been mixin hypoglycemic drugs, which can trigger irreversible neurological sequelae or death depending on the ingested dose and the duration of hypoglycemia.OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of alcohol and prescription drug abuse in 12- to 18-year-old adolescents who attend different schools in Buenos Aires province.METHODS: An observational, descriptive and transversal study was conducted. It included a descriptive survey, performed in four schools located in Tres de Febrero (Buenos Aires province). Workshops were held to exchange knowledge and experiences, and students were given information graphical material.RESULTS: 977 surveys were conducted. 49% of the students said they drink alcohol when out with friends. 8% (N = 78) of the students consumed "jarra loca", while 49% reported that their friends did so. 21 students required medical attention at least in one occasion after having drunk alcohol, and 17 of them had consumed "jarra loca". 55% of the students were unaware of the use of the tablets mixed into the "jarra loca".CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the early onset of alcohol and "jarra loca" consumption by adolescents and their ignorance about the risk of mixing alcohol and drugs.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Alcohol Drinking , Alcoholism , Prescription Drugs , Self Medication , Substance-Related Disorders , Adolescent , Public Health , ArgentinaABSTRACT
INTRODUCCION: La "jarra loca" es una mezcla de bebidas alcohólicas y medicamentos, que utilizan los jóvenes como modalidad de abuso. En los últimos años, además de psicofármacos, los jóvenes mezclan hipoglucemiantes, lo que puede producir secuelas neurológicas irreversibles o la muerte, según la dosis ingerida y el tiempo de duración de la hipoglucemia.OBJETIVO: Conocer la prevalencia de consumo de alcohol y medicamentos en los adolescentes de 12 a 18 años que concurren a distintas escuelas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.METODOS: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal. Incluyó una encuesta descriptiva, llevada a cabo en cuatro escuelas del Partido de Tres de Febrero. Se organizaron talleres para intercambiar conocimientos y experiencias con los alumnos y se entregó material gráfico informativo.RESULTADOS: Se realizaron 977 encuestas. El 49% de los alumnos dijo consumir bebidas alcohólicas durante las salidas con amigos. El 8% (N = 78) señaló que consumía "jarra loca", y el 49% indicó que sus amigos lo hacían. De los 21 alumnos que al menos en una oportunidad requirieron atención médica después de haber tomado bebidas alcohólicas, 17 habían consumido "jarra loca". El 55% de los encuestados desconocía el uso de las pastillas mezcladas en la "jarra loca".CONCLUSIONES: Este estudio muestra el inicio temprano del consumo de alcohol y "jarra loca" en los adolescentes, y revela que éstos ignoran el riesgo que implica mezclar alcohol y medicamentos.
INTRODUCTION: The "jarra loca" (crazy jar) is a mixture of alcohol and drugs used by young people as a form of abuse. In recent years, in addition to psychotropic drugs, young people have been mixin hypoglycemic drugs, which can trigger irreversible neurological sequelae or death depending on the ingested dose and the duration of hypoglycemia.OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of alcohol and prescription drug abuse in 12- to 18-year-old adolescents who attend different schools in Buenos Aires province.METHODS: An observational, descriptive and transversal study was conducted. It included a descriptive survey, performed in four schools located in Tres de Febrero (Buenos Aires province). Workshops were held to exchange knowledge and experiences, and students were given information graphical material.RESULTS: 977 surveys were conducted. 49% of the students said they drink alcohol when out with friends. 8% (N = 78) of the students consumed "jarra loca", while 49% reported that their friends did so. 21 students required medical attention at least in one occasion after having drunk alcohol, and 17 of them had consumed "jarra loca". 55% of the students were unaware of the use of the tablets mixed into the "jarra loca".CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the early onset of alcohol and "jarra loca" consumption by adolescents and their ignorance about the risk of mixing alcohol and drugs.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adolescent , Alcoholism , Self Medication , Alcohol Drinking , Prescription Drugs , Substance-Related Disorders , Argentina , Public HealthABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: While the Northern Hemisphere experiences the effects of the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus, data from the recent influenza season in the Southern Hemisphere can provide important information on the burden of disease in children. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case series involving children with acute infection of the lower respiratory tract or fever in whom 2009 H1N1 influenza was diagnosed on reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain-reaction assay and who were admitted to one of six pediatric hospitals serving a catchment area of 1.2 million children. We compared rates of admission and death with those among age-matched children who had been infected with seasonal influenza strains in previous years. RESULTS: Between May and July 2009, a total of 251 children were hospitalized with 2009 H1N1 influenza. Rates of hospitalization were double those for seasonal influenza in 2008. Of the children who were hospitalized, 47 (19%) were admitted to an intensive care unit, 42 (17%) required mechanical ventilation, and 13 (5%) died. The overall rate of death was 1.1 per 100,000 children, as compared with 0.1 per 100,000 children for seasonal influenza in 2007. (No pediatric deaths associated with seasonal influenza were reported in 2008.) Most deaths were caused by refractory hypoxemia in infants under 1 year of age (death rate, 7.6 per 100,000). CONCLUSIONS: Pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza was associated with pediatric death rates that were 10 times the rates for seasonal influenza in previous years.
