title: Prevalence and age of onset for drug use in seven international sites: results from the international consortium of psychiatric epidemiology.
abstract: This study compares lifetime prevalence and age of first use (onset) for alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs in six international sites. Data from seven epidemiologic field surveys that used compatible instruments and study designs were compiled for cross-site analyses by the International Consortium of Psychiatric Epidemiology (ICPE). The world health organization's composite international diagnostic instrument (WHO-CIDI) and additional items were used to ascertain drug use in each site. Lifetime use rates were estimated for alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit drugs. Survival analyses were used to estimate age of onset. Study settings and main results: use of alcohol twelve or more times ranged in descending order from the Netherlands (86.3%), United States (71.7%), Ontario, Canada (71.6%); São Paulo, Brazil (66.1%), Munich, Germany (64.9%), Fresno, California (USA) (51.9%), to Mexico City (43.2%). Use of cannabis five or more times in a lifetime ranged from 28.8 in the United States to 1.7% in Mexico City, and other drugs ranged from United States (19.4%) to Mexico City (1.7%). Age of first use was similar across study sites. This study demonstrates the fundamental uniformity of onset patterns by age as contrasted with wide variations in lifetime prevalences across sites. Study findings suggest that drug use patterns may change among emigrating populations from low consumption nations as a consequence of international resettlement in nations with higher rates. Methodological limitations of the study along with recommendations for future international comparative research are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Quality, Research, and Training, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School-UMDNJ, 335 George Street, 3rd Floor, Liberty Plaza, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. vegawa@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Gaxiola
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bijl
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Jorge J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Caraveo-Anduaga
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: DeWit
authors.forename: Steven G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Heeringa
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kessler
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kolody
authors.forename: Kathleen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Merikangas
authors.forename: Beth E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Ellen E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: Lynn A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Hans-Ulrich
authors.initials: HU
authors.lastname: Wittchen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014944:World Health Organization