Factors associated with problematic drug use among psychiatric outpatients.
Clarissa Mendonça Corradi-Webster, Edilaine Cristina da Silva Gherardi-Donato
PMID 27901217WHAT IT FOUND
Nearly half of psychiatric outpatients used drugs problematically.
Discrimination and financial dissatisfaction predicted this. Surprisingly, sports participation was also a risk factor, likely due to alcohol culture around football. Nurses should screen for these social stressors, not just symptoms.
Key findings
01Problematic drug use was identified in 46.1% of participants, with tobacco and alcohol being the most frequent substances.
02Experiencing discrimination and dissatisfaction with financial situation were independent predictors of problematic drug use in the regression model.
03Participation in sports activities in the previous year was associated with higher rates of problematic drug use, contrary to typical protective assumptions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was non-randomized and drawn from two specific services, so results cannot be generalized to the wider population. Drug use data relied on self-report without biological verification, risking underreporting due to stigma. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality between the identified risk factors and drug use.
Declared interests
The study was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP).
The easy way to misread this
Do not advise patients to stop playing sports or joining social groups based on this finding. The association with sports likely reflects alcohol consumption culture around football in this specific Brazilian context, not the activity itself being harmful.