title: Risk factors of substance use among street children from Delhi.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the magnitude of and socio-demographic factors related to substance use among street children in Delhi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  115 male street children aged 6 to 16 years were interviewed at the time of their admission to an observation home.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than half of the subjects had indulged in substance use before coming to the observation home. The agents consumed were nicotine,inhalants, alcohol and cannabis. On application of multiple logistic regression, maltreatment of the child by family members was found significant predictor of substance use in the study group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substance use in street children is associated with unstable homes and maltreatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi. drdeeptipagare@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Deepti
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pagare
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Meena
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Renuka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sahu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003710:Demography; D005190:Family; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*