AUTHOR=Quek Lake-Hui , Chan Gary C., White Angela , Connor Jason P., Baker Peter , Saunders John B., Kelly Adrian B.

TITLE=Concurrent and Simultaneous Polydrug Use: Latent Class Analysis of an Australian Nationally Representative Sample of Young Adults

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 1 - 2013

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2013.00061

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2013.00061

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Background: Alcohol use and illicit drug use peak during young adulthood (around 18-29 years of age), but comparatively little is known about polydrug use in nationally representative samples of young adults.  Drawing on a nationally representative cross-sectional survey (Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey), this study examines polydrug use patterns and associated psychosocial risk factors among young adults (n = 3,333; age 19-29). Method: The use of a broad range of licit and illicit drugs were examined, including alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, ecstasy, ketamine, GHB, inhalants, steroids, barbiturates, meth/amphetamines, heroin, methadone/buprenorphine, other opiates, painkillers and tranquillizers/sleeping pills. Latent class analysis was employed to identify patterns of polydrug use.  Results: Polydrug use in this sample was best described using a 5-class solution. The majority of young adults predominantly used alcohol only (52.3%), alcohol and tobacco (34.18%). The other classes were cannabis, ecstasy, and licit drug use (9.4%), cannabis, amphetamine derivative, and licit drug use (2.8%), and sedative and alcohol use (1.3%).  Young adult males with low education and/or high income were most at risk of polydrug use.  Conclusion: Almost half of young adults reported polydrug use, highlighting the importance of post-high school screening for key risk factors and polydrug use profiles, and the delivery of early intervention strategies targeting illicit drugs.