Abstract

Background: Recent trends indicate that the use of substances has dramatically increased worldwide, particularly in developing countries including India. Limited studies have been conducted on substance use in Uttarakhand state of India.

Objectives: To study the sociodemographic profile of substance users and to assess the pattern of substance use among the study subjects attending Urban Health Training Centre in Srinagar Garhwal of Uttarakhand, India.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among substance users attending Urban Health Training Centre under the Department of Community Medicine, Government Medical College in Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India. Over a period of 6 months (July 2014–December 2014), 219 substance users were enrolled in the study. Statistical analyses were performed using r statistical software.

Results: The mean age was 33.9 ± 10.9 years. Of total 219 subjects selected for the study, maximum 97 (44.3%) were in the age group of 21–30 years. Mostly 108 (68.5%) subjects were married. About half of the subjects 108 (49.3%) were educated up to graduation or above followed by 53 (24.2%) whose education was up to high school and intermediate. Maximum 53 (24.2%) study subjects were student. The most common current substance use identified includes alcohol (74.9%), nicotine (45.7%), cannabis (14.6%), opium (8.6%), and sedative-hypnotics (5.5%). Maximum response 196 (89.5%) was that friends using substance was the main reason for initiating substance use among study subjects.

Conclusion: The present study highlights the recent patterns of substance use and indicates the high level of alcohol use among the participants.

Key words: Substance Users; Drug Abuse; Alcohol; Addiction