Marital Relationship of Parents and Amphetamine Addiction of Students in Secondary and High School Level - สัมพันธภาพของบิดามารดากับการติดยาบ้าในนักเรียนมัธยม

Abstract

          This study was aimed at determining the association between marital relationship of parents and risk of amphetamine addiction among male students in secondary and high school levels, in Bangkok and its vinicity. A case-control study was conducted and cases were all male students attended drug-addiction clinics during February - March 1999 in any of three selected hospitals, while controls were drug-free male students who were studying in the same schools of the cases. Controls were randomly selected with frequency matching with the cases for educational level, school location (Bangkok/vinicity), and types of schools (government/private). In all, 75 cases and 300 controls were enrolled and self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. It was found that marital relationship of parents was associated with amphetamine addiction of students. Risk factors of the addiction were usually quarreled parents (Adjusted OR -aOR 2.4; 90%CI 1.1,5.0), beating each other of at least 3 times (aOR 3.7; 90%CI 1.2, 11.2), never having recreational activities together(aOR 2.6; 90%CI 1.1,6.1), and father frequently drinking alcohol (aOR 2.4; 90%CI 1.2,4.8), In contrast, divorce of parents did not increase risk of the addiction (aOR 1.2; 90%CI 0.6,2.4), like death of father and/or mother (aOR 1.1; 90%CI 0.4,2.6). Therefore, a promotion of better marital relationships of parents, focusing especially on these issues, would be a useful approach to prevent and control drug use problem in youths.

Key words: marital relationship, amphetamine addiction, student