Prevalence and Correlates of Substance Use Disorders among Youths in Retained House in Taiwan

Yi-Chia Wu ； Ming-Chyi Huang ； Chun Lin ； Wan-Chen Lee

《台灣精神醫學》 Volume 39 Issue 2 (2025/06) Pp. 118-122

https://doi.org/10.4103/TPSY.TPSY_22_25

Abstracts

Objectives: In this study, we used the Car, Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, and Trouble (CRAFFT) screening tool to examine substance use disorder (SUD) in youths in retained house. Method: A cross-sectional, anonymous survey was conducted from April 2019 to May 2020 at the Taipei Juvenile Detention House in Taiwan, involving 779 detained youths. SUD was defined as a CRAFFT score of ≥ 5. Results: Among participants, 71% screened positive for problematic substance use (CRAFFT ≥ 2) and 23.1% for SUD. Nearly half (49.4%) reported past-year illegal substance use. Factors associated with SUD included significantly earlier initiation (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.78 [0.85-0.95], p < 0.05), significantly higher frequency of use (OR [95% CI] = 2.30 [1.08-4.88], p < 0.05), and significantly more multiple illegal substance use (OR [95% CI] = 5.45 [1.14-25.99], p < 0.01). Conclusion: The high prevalence of substance-related problems highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions.

Keywords

alcohol use disorder ； Car ； Relax ； Alone ； Forget ； Friends ； Trouble Score ； criminal offenses ； risk factors

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