Juvenile drug offenders who use amphetamine recommitted to a remand center: the role of psychiatric morbidity.
One hundred consecutive juvenile drug offenders with amphetamine use in a remand center were assessed for extent of substance use and psychiatric morbidity by a psychiatrist from 1998 to 1999. They were monitored for one year after discharge. The "risk" of being recommitted to the remand center against use of various drugs and psychiatric morbidity was determined. Amphetamine-use disorder was more prevalent in those who were recommitted than those who were not, while no significant difference was found with licit substances, psychiatric morbidity, or the number of substances used between these two groups. In view of the high dependency properties of amphetamine, early intervention is suggested to prevent reuse.
Yen
Cheng-Fang
CF
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chong
Mian-Yoon
MY
Liu
Ya-Hui
YH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010359:Patient Readmission; D012309:Risk-Taking; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D013624:Taiwan; D013997:Time Factors