Drug Abuse Risk Situation among Preschool students in Muang Phuket, Phuket province, Thailand

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the prevalence of drug abuse risk problems and assess the association between school location, education level, and drug abuse risk problems among preschoolers. This paper is A cross-sectional study of 3,353 students from a total of 3,654 students aged 2-6 years at 28 child centers and kindergarten schools under a local government organization in Muang Phuket, which was performed in the semester 1 academic year 2016. The drug abuse risks were measured using the self-administered questionnaire, which teachers and caregivers 70 persons completed and returned during April and May 2016. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, range, and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The prevalence of drug abuse risk problems reported by teachers and caregivers were sleep problems 1.28%, stress 0.78%, aggression 1.10%, anxiety 0.69%, depression 0.89%, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) 3.61%, learning disabilities (LD) 4.00%, abuse and neglect 0.03%, family member use drug or substance 12.53%, changing marital status of parents 6.53%, conflict in parents or guardians 1.88%, poverty of family 3.37%, and finding drugs easily in the community 5.16%. The pre-kindergarten level is associated with drug abuse risks (OR=0.59, 95% CI 0.51 - 0.69, p< 0.00). Family-social and community factors associated with the three most risky personal factors (sleep problem, LD, and ADHD) included children with sleep problems related to family members using drugs or substances, poverty of the family, and finding drugs easily in the community were statistic significant (p-value <0.05). Children with LD related to changing marital status of parents, conflict in parents or guardians, poverty of the family, and finding drugs easily in the community were statistically significant (p-value <0.05). Children with ADHD related to family members using drugs or substances, changing marital status of parents, conflict in parents or guardians, and poverty of family were statistically significant (p-value <0.05). In conclusion, the prevalence of drug abuse risks among preschoolers at Muang Phuket was 25.86%. These students at risk can find both single and multiple risk factors. LD was the most prevalent in behavioral risk factors. Family member's use of drugs or substances was the most prevalent environmental risk factor. The poverty of the family was related to sleep problems, ADHD, and LD. The multidisciplinary team should provide appropriate interventions to the students with drug abuse risks in individuals, families, schools, and communities and also monitor the risk in the long term to prevent the children from developing drug abuse problems and conduct disorders in the future.