Alcohol and Drug Consumption, Depressive Features, and Family Violence as Associated with Complaints to the Prosecutor's Office in Central Mexico

Abstract

The article is aimed at reporting the characteristics of the population detected at State Prosecutors' Offices including the two such offices that existed in the city selected for the study, one located in a general hospital for the inspection of violence-related cases (n = 156); and the second in the facility where all detainees are taken when arrested (n = 129), and where victims can file a complaint (n = 186). A household survey undertaken among the population 18 to 65 years of age (n = 887) was used as a group of reference. Both studies were undertaken in Pachuca City, the capital of Hidalgo, located 100 km from Mexico City during the second half of 1996. Face-to-face questionnaires were used to obtain sociodemographic data, drug use and drinking patterns, depressive symptomatology, and family violence. Discriminant and logistic regression analysis were undertaken. The age group from 18 to 24 displayed the highest number of legal complaints and arrests (OR = 1.773). The likelihood for appearing at a State Prosecutor's Office was higher for those living in an atmosphere of threats and injuries within the family (OR = 19) and for those that reported alcohol consumption on the day of the event (OR = 14). Extremely high rates of family violence were obtained in this sample, increasing the likelihood of arriving at the Prosecutor's Office either because arrested or for being a victim. Results confirm the relationship between alcohol use, depression, and violence, reinforcing the need to prevent alcohol abuse, ¹ especially among youth.

¹The journal's style utilizes the category substance abuse as a diagnostic category. Substances are used or misused; living organisms are and can be abused. Editor's note.

Keywords:

• alcohol and drug consumption
• arrests
• depression
• family violence
• legal complaints
• Mexico

Notes

¹The journal's style utilizes the category substance abuse as a diagnostic category. Substances are used or misused; living organisms are and can be abused. Editor's note.

²Pulque is a mildly alcoholic traditional fermented beverage from a Mexican agave; it is consumed by men, women, and children mainly in central Mexico. Estimates of its alcoholic content vary from 2° to 7° (Encuesta Nacional de Adicciones, 1993; Diego, 2006), other reports state that 0.5 liters of pulque contains approximately 24 g of ethanol (Backstrand et al., 2001). Pulque intake per household in rural areas is 6.4 liters per week (Medina-Mora et al., 2000).

³Meaning the counter at the Public Security Office where legal complaints are filed.

*p < 0.001.

**p < 0.01.

***Only SPO sample.

*p < .001.

**p < .01.

***p < .05.

Ξ Unsignificant.

Ξ Ξ Does not proceed.

*p < 0.05 in discriminatory function.

*p < 0.05.