[Perception of the risk of drugs consumption in teenagers of our environment]. / Consumo de drogas en los adolescentes: percepción del riesgo.

OBJECTIVE: To know the perception of the risk of drugs consumption and its influence in the attitudes and behaviors of the pupils of Second Year in the High Schools in Torrijos (Toledo). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qualitative descriptive study made from April to July 2010 two High Schools in Torrijos by nurses who have worked in the Health Centre. The sample consisted of sixteen pupils taken from the lists were provided by teachers of the High School. The data was obtained making four group interviews distributed according to the gender; the speech saturation was got with these interviews. There are made categories of information after analyzing the contents. RESULTS AND DISCUSION: The teenagers know most of the drugs but alcohol and tobacco are not identified like a drug. They connect the beginning of the High School with first contact with the drugs. The most important reasons for the beginning of the consumption are invulnerability feelings and pressure of the groups. There is evidence of more consumption in males. The most important negative effects are considered risky sexual relations, traffic accidents and giving up studies. They ask for more accessibility of health services. CONCLUSIONS: The health strategies should tend to the expectations of the teenagers and not only to give information. A prevention program of the drugs consumption must include aspects to promote the development of personal abilities and reinforce their capacities of facing up to drugs.

Consumo de drogas en los adolescentes. Percepción del riesgo / Perception of the risk of drugs consumption in teenagers of our environment

Objetivo. Conocer la percepción del riesgo del consumo de drogas y su influencia en las actitudes y conductas en los alumnos de 2º de Educación Secundaria Obligatoria de los institutos de Torrijos (Toledo). Material y métodos. Estudio cualitativo descriptivo realizado entre abril y julio de 2010 en dos institutos de educación secundaria de Torrijos por enfermeras del Centro de Salud. Muestra de dieciséis alumnos seleccionados de listados proporcionados por informantes claves de los institutos. Los datos se obtuvieron con la realización de cuatro entrevistas grupales distribuidas según género, con las que se alcanzó la saturación del discurso. Se realizó un análisis de contenido categorial temático. Resultados y discusión. Los adolescentes conocen la mayoría de drogas pero no identifican alcohol y tabaco como tales. Relacionan el comienzo del instituto con el primer contacto con las mismas. Las causas principales del inicio del consumo son el sentimiento de invulnerabilidad y la presión de iguales. Se evidencia un mayor consumo en chicos. Las repercusiones negativas más destacadas son relaciones sexuales de riesgo, accidentes de tráfico y abandono de estudios. Demandan mayor accesibilidad y un espacio físico al que acudir para solventar dudas. Conclusiones. Las estrategias sanitarias deberían ir encaminadas a cubrir las expectativas de los adolescentes y no solo limitarnos a proporcionar información. Un programa para prevención de consumo de drogas debe incluir aspectos que promuevan el desarrollo de habilidades personales y refuercen capacidades de afrontamiento frente al consumo de drogas(AU)

Objective. To know the perception of the risk of drugs consumption and its influence in the attitudes and behaviors of the pupils of Second Year in the High Schools in Torrijos (Toledo). Materials and methods. Qualitative descriptive study made from April to July 2010 two High Schools in Torrijos by nurses who have worked in the Health Centre. The sample consisted of sixteen pupils taken from the lists were provided by teachers of the High School. The data was obtained making four group interviews distributed according to the gender; the speech saturation was got with these interviews. There are made categories of information after analyzing the contents. Results and discusion. The teenagers know most of the drugs but alcohol and tobacco are not identified like a drug. They connect the beginning of the High School with first contact with the drugs. The most important reasons for the beginning of the consumption are invulnerability feelings and pressure of the groups. There is evidence of more consumption in males. The most important negative effects are considered risky sexual relations, traffic accidents and giving up studies. They ask for more accessibility of health services. Conclusions. The health strategies should tend to the expectations of the teenagers and not only to give information. A prevention program of the drugs consumption must include aspects to promote the development of personal abilities and reinforce their capacities of facing up to drugs(AU)