title: [Psychoactive Drug Abuse in Adolescent Addicts of a Colombian Rehabilitation Foundation. Descriptive Study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the use of psychoactive substances (PAS) in addict population between 14 and 18 years of a foundation devoted to rehabilitation in the Department of Quindío, Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative-descriptive research. The VESPA (Epidemiological surveillance for psychoactive substance abuse) Forms of the people admitted to the institution between 2006 and 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study, 333 adolescents between 14 and 18 were attended. 75.4% were men, only 31.2% had primary education, 56% reported being unemployed, and 34.5% stated they were admitted at the foundation after legal indication. Upon admission, the PAS was: 44.2%, tobacco; 25.8%, marijuana; 18.0%, alcohol and 5.7% cocaine. The average starting age for men was 12.33, while for women was 11.96; reported substances showed the following starting averages: alcohol, 12.26 ys old; tobacco, 12.49 ys old; marijuana, 13.39 ys old; inhalants, 13.98 ys old; cocaine, 14.01 ys old; crack, 14.27 ys old; and heroin, 15 ys old. The average admission age to the institution was 15.7 ys old.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Figures found highlight the need for greater and better prevention programs regarding PAS abuse in adolescents and children.
authors.affiliation: Magíster. Docente Investigador, Escuela de Ciencias Sociales, Artes y Humanidades de la Universidad Nacional a Distancia (UNAD). Bogotá, Colombia. Electronic address: oscar.medina@unad.edu.co.
authors.forename: Óscar Adolfo
authors.initials: ÓA
authors.lastname: Medina-Pérez
authors.affiliation: Investigadora de la Universidad San Buenaventura, seccional Medellín. Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Luz Adriana
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Rubio
keywords: Abuso de sustancias; Colombia; Substance abuse; adolescentes; adolescents; epidemiology; epidemiología; factores de riesgo; public health; risk factors; salud pública