Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111015

Silvia S. Martins, MD, PhD, Guido Mazzotti, MD, and Howard Chilcoat, ScD. Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway P. O. Box 761, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-2852, smartins@jhsph.edu

Objectives: This study aims to describe demographic characteristics of recent-onset ecstasy users, to assess if those with different levels of other drug use are more likely to be recent-onset ecstasy users, to explore the association between recent-onset ecstasy use and psychiatric symptoms, and to explore the association between recent-onset ecstasy use and deviant behaviors. Methods: Data were drawn from the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Use (n=55,561). After initial exploratory analyses, association with demographic characteristics, other drug use associations, psychiatric symptoms associations and deviant behavior associations were analyzed using weighted chi-squared tests and weighted unconditional logistic regression. Results: Both adolescents and adults who engaged in deviant behaviors during the past year were significantly more likely to initiate ecstasy use as compared to those who did not engage in deviant behaviors during the past year. Higher levels of deviancy indicated a higher likelihood of being a recent-onset ecstasy user. Adults who had past-year psychiatric symptoms were almost twice as likely to initiate ecstasy use during that period as compared to those without past-year psychiatric symptoms. Lifetime users of marijuana, cocaine and heroin were significantly more likely to be recent-onset ecstasy users as compared to non-users. Greater levels of other drugs involvement also increased the odds of being a recent-onset ecstasy user. Conclusion: Recent-onset ecstasy use seems to be associated to a range of other behavioral problems; ecstasy use might reflect one aspect of a larger, problem behavior syndrome.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session the participant will be able to

1.Recognize the profile of recent-onset ecstasy users
• Identify clinical characteristics associated to a greater likelihood of ecstasy initiation
• Discuss the implementation of public health programs to reduce ecstasy initiation

Keywords: Epidemiology, Substance Abuse Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation