J Nurs Acad Soc.  1993 Sep;23(3):487-503.

The Survey of Adolescent Drug abuse in Seoul

• Kim SY
• Hyun MS
• Sung RM
• Kong SS

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the situation of adolescent drug use in Seoul, and to compare this with the 1991 survey in order to better understand the present situation. The subject for this study were 1000 students in High School and Middle School. The data were collected during the period from September 1,1992 to December 30, 1992. The guestionnaire developed by Kim So Ya Ja (1991) to survey adolescent drug use was used. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA with the SPSS program. The results of this study can be summarized as follows 1. Prevalence of Substance use: Antihistamines were used by 0.3% of adolescent, Sedatives 0.6%, Stimulants 8.1%, Hallucinogens 0.9%, Inhalants 3.2%, Narcotics 1.7%. and Analgetics 154.3%. 2. Trend in substance use compared to the 1991 surbey: Alcohol use increased from 52.8% to 63.7% and narcotics from 0.6% to 1.7%, while Smoking, Analgetics, Antihistamines, Sedatives, and Inhalants showed a decrease. 3. Smoking and Alcohol use: Twenty five percent of school adolescent had experienced cigarette smoking and 63.7% of school adolescent had experienced alcohol use. 4. Motives for drug use: The highest was avoidence of sleep at 49.4% and the next highest was adventure seeking at 27.7%. As to feeling after drug use, 34.3% felt apathy, 22.8% had feelings of sleepiness and uncon sciousness. 5. Places were dreg were purchased: The most frequent was the drug store(78.3%) and 84.4% of the respondents answered that drug purchase was easy and 86.7% that drug use was mainly at home. 6. Related Variables: There was a statistically significent high score for drug and alcohol use by adolescents whose fathers used drugs. (PC. 05) In conclusion, adolescents in Seoul showed in de crease in the tendency to use drugs compared to the 1991 survey, however drugs which are habit-forming and lead to dependency are still being abused. Therefore, counter-plans and preventive stratiges are important.

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Apathy
Fathers
Hallucinogens
Histamine Antagonists
Humans
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Narcotics
Prevalence
Seoul*
Smoke
Smoking
Substance-Related Disorders*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Hallucinogens
Histamine Antagonists
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Narcotics
Smoke