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The British Journal of Psychiatry 152: 214-221 (1988)
© 1988 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Monitoring problem drug use in Bristol

J Parker, Y Pool, R Rawle and M Gay
Department of Family Psychiatry, Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

A prospective multi-agency survey of problem drug use associated with illicit drugs and solvents in the city of Bristol in 1984-1985 found 759 problem drug users, giving a period prevalence rate of 0.4-0.8% of those aged 10-44 years. The group was a young one, with 92% under the age of 35. Over half had problems associated with opiates, mainly illicit heroin; 17% had problems associated with solvents, 9% with cannabis, 13% with stimulants, mainly illicit amphetamine, and 3% with hallucinogens. There was little indication of problematic use of barbiturates or cocaine. The problems associated with drugs and solvents were wide-ranging and not specific for individual drugs. Future community surveys would find it cost-effective to concentrate on the five best sources identified here, and to supplement these with indications of drug-taking among teenagers. The difficulties of using the definition of problem drug use for research and the value of case- register surveys for community drug monitoring are discussed.




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Copyright © 1988 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.