Risk factors for drug abuse in Pakistan: a replication.
While a number of risk factors have been identified for drug abuse in the United States, little evidence is available about such factors in some other counties. Among these latter is Pakistan, a nation in which heroin addiction is a major problem. The present study was done to examine those psychosocial characteristics which differentiated 60 heroin addicts from 60 nondrug-using controls in Pakistan. Most of the drug-abuse factors identified earlier were significant in Pakistan as well. Applying cut-off scores previously established for each of 9 variables, the relationship between drug status and number of factors at risk was also examined. Over 98% of the addicts were at risk for five or more factors; only 15% of controls were at risk for 5 variables and none exceeded 5. Precursors for abuse appear to cut across cultural lines. The high-risk individual in Pakistan, as in the United States, is one with ready access to drugs and the social inducements to use them while lacking bonds with societal institutions or value systems which might mitigate against drug use. Because several of the risk factors represent deep and long-standing aspects of the addict's personality, both prevention and treatment confront formidable difficulties.
Gillis
J S
JS
Department of Psychology, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-5303, USA.
Mubbashar
M H
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010553:Personality Development; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012933:Social Identification; D012945:Social Values; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology