title: Substance use among children and young persons appearing in the Nairobi Juvenile Court, Kenya.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence and pattern of substance use among children and young persons appearing in the Nairobi Juvenile Court, Kenya.
  
  
  METHODS
  A point prevalence survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Nairobi Juvenile Court, Kenya.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety (sixty four males and twenty six females) children and young persons aged 8 to 18 years classified as criminal offenders, group I (60) and those for protection and discipline, group II (30), were selected.
  
  
  METHODS
  Socio-demographic and substance use questionnaires were administered to the subject. International classification of diseases, 10th Edition (ICD-10) diagnostic criteria were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Crude rate for substance use in this study was found to be 39 out of the total sample of 90(43.3%), children and young persons. Of these thirty nine, 33 (85.8%) were males and six(14.2%) were females. Twenty nine (32.2%) used nicotine, 19(21.1%) used volatile hydrocarbons, 8(8.9%) used cannabis six (6.7%) used alcohol, five (5.6%) used khat and three (3.3%) used sedatives. Multiple substance use was also evident.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has shown a high presence of substance use in children and young persons appearing in the Nairobi Juvenile Court.
authors.affiliation: Mathari Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Maru
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kathuku
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ndetei
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires