Epidemiology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Epidemiology, including details on twin studies, statistics, environmental and genetic factors.

Epidemiology of inhalant use.

Medina-Mora ME, Real T

Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente (Ramon de la Fuente National Institute of Psychiatry Mexico) Mexico City, México. medinam@imp.edu.mx

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of the present article is to review recent research on the prevalence and correlates of inhalant use. RECENT FINDINGS: During the review period more prevalence studies have been conducted in the developing world, adding information to the ongoing studies that are periodically undertaken in the more developed countries. These studies suggest that inhalant use is widespread among children and adolescents and is increasing among females in the developing and developed world. Not all surveys report inhalants as a separate group from other illegal substances; data by type of inhalants are even rarer, and few studies address abuse or dependence. New evidence suggests lower reliability rates for the diagnostic criteria of dependence as compared with other substances, suggesting the need for a review including the evidence of withdrawal. Studies conducted in the period identify vulnerable groups and suggest an increased risk of injecting drug use, HIV, suicidality and psychiatric disorders among inhalant users. SUMMARY: The extension of inhalant abuse and its adverse consequences argues for greater efforts to advance classification and to increase knowledge through research, including the evaluation of prevention and treatment models.

Published 2 April 2008 in Curr Opin Psychiatry, 21(3): 247-51.
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