Socioeconomic factors associated with drug consumption in Mexico

Abstract

Background

Illicit drug consumption in Mexico has been growing constantly and has begun to be a public health problem. The aim of this study is to identify the principal characteristics and socioeconomic variables associated with consumption of illegal drugs in Mexico.

Methods

Using information from the 2016 national addictions survey in Mexico, we develop a logistic regression model to determine the variables associated with drug consumption, sometime in lifetime or recently, in the general population of Mexico.

Results

Analyzing information from 56,877 persons, the prevalence of the use of illicit drugs at least once in lifetime was 15.4% and 3.6% for males and females, respectively. The variables associated with more consumption of illegal drugs was utilization of substances with alcohol (RR 9.3; 95% CI 7.9–10.8) and nicotine products (RR 4.7; 95% CI 4.3–5.1), male gender (RR 2.6; 95% CI 2.4–2.8), and relatives’ drug consumption (RR 2.1; 95% CI 1.8–2.4).

Conclusions

Having more education, being older, and having a partner was associated with lower illicit drug consumption sometime in lifetime; in the case of recent consumption, in addition, having a job or active child-rearing in the house in a positive sense.

Keywords:

• Illicit drugs
• socioeconomic factors
• risk factors
• protective factors
• surveys
• Mexico

Authors’ contributions

ANS developed the conceptualization and design for this paper. VCR and ANS have conducted the formal analysis and interpretation of data. ANS writing the original draft of the paper. MB contributed to the critical interpretation of the data. All authors have been involved in revising the critiques of manuscripts and have read as well as approved the final manuscript.

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Ms. Susan Drier-Jonas for her help with the manuscript.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.