Abstract:

Substance abuse is a major public health and social concern. Adolescents and younger people are particularly vulnerable to changes in lifestyle that predispose them to try drugs. In the rural areas, this problem is increasing every year.
The drug abuse prevention programme herewith presented was set up within a collaborative framework of the School of Pharmacy of the University Cardenal Herrera – CEU in Moncada (Valencia) and the Addictive Behaviors Unit in Gandía (Valencia) to involve community pharmacists in substance abuse prevention. Specifically, in the present study a community pharmacist (JTP) is leading a 4-year school based multifactorial substance abuse in the rural area of La Manchuela, within the provinces of Albacete and Cuenca (Spain).
The prevention programme is aimed at providing a long-term and measurable substance use prevention for young people through 4 years of study. An additional objective is to find co-morbid diseases or behaviors, Thus, in the second year of study we have considered the association between drug use and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a common illness in children and adolescents young people characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity and is a risk factor for other psychiatric problems such as anxiety and depression.
All ten secondary schools in the Area La Manchuela were invited to participate. Schools were randomly assigned to a control group or to one of three intervention groups with different levels of intervention.
At baseline and at yearly follow-ups, students completed the Spanish version of the WHO Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) V3.0 WHO ASSIST (V3.0), an instrument designed to screen for problem or risky use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine-type stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens, inhalants, opioids and ‘other drugs’. To determine probably ADHD we used the Adult Self Report Scale (ASRS) test V.1.1. The sample included all 683 students registered at Second Year of ESO (second year of Mandatory Secundary Education, children aged 13-14 years old).
A total of 44 students (6,4 %) tested positive in probably ADHD. But if we study these students, a specific treatment would be needed by consumption of alcohol (36,2 %), tobacco (44,9 %) and cannabis (20,3 %). On the other hand, students with no ADHD would need treatment by consumption of alcohol (18,9 %), tobacco (22,5 %) and cannabis (8,8 %). These data shows significant statistical difference between ADHD and no ADHD students.
Results show that the among the sample of 683 students with an average age of 13,3 years confirm the fact of coexistence of probably ADHD with drug abuse consumption (alcohol, tobacco, cannabis) so specific help by specialist doctors will be needed.

Keywords:

ADHD, drug abuse, prevention.