Illicit drug use and exposure in disadvantaged neighborhoods in Czechia: policy representations and evidence

Abstract

This study examines the lifetime prevalence of illicit drug use and illicit drug exposure in disadvantaged (“Roma”) and more affluent neighborhoods in Czechia. The results of a survey among populations of both types of neighborhoods suggest no statistically significant difference between the two in terms of the overall lifetime prevalence of illicit drug use; however, lifetime prevalence of methamphetamine use proved higher in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The population of disadvantaged neighborhoods has also lower chances to use LSD during their lifetime. Further differences were identified in drug exposure, with the population of more affluent neighborhoods being more frequently exposed to illicit drugs than the population of disadvantaged neighborhoods. The predictors of drug use and drug exposure were partially different for both populations. In the disadvantaged population, drug use was revealed, among other predictors, to be associated with housing conditions.

Keywords:

• Disadvantaged neighborhoods
• drug use
• drug exposure
• illicit drugs

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Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Czech Science Foundation (Grant Nr. 19-13296S) and Charles University Programme Progress [grant number: Q06/LF1].