Predicting drug use at electronic music dance events: self-reports and biological measurement.
Most information on the prevalence of drug use comes from self-report surveys. The sensitivity of such information is cause for concern about the accuracy of self-report measures. In this study, self-reported drug use in the last 48 hr is compared to results from biological assays of saliva samples from 371 young adults entering clubs. The relationship between self-reports and drug presence in oral fluid was determined for three substances as follows: cocaine, marijuana, and amphetamine. Forty-one percent of the participants with drugs detected in their oral fluids reported no use in the last 48 hr. The significance of these results is discussed.
Johnson
Mark B
MB
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 11720 Beltsville Drive, Calverton, MD 20705-3111, USA. mjohnson@pire.org
Voas
Robert A
RA
Miller
Brenda A
BA
Holder
Harold D
HD
D001681:Biological Assay; D003615:Dancing; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology