Drug Use Among Street Children and Non—Street Children in the Philippines

Abstract

This study characterizes the prevalence of drug use among Filipino street children compared with Filipino non—street children. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 311 street children and 528 non—street children aged 13 to 17 years. Participants were enrolled through 4 nonprofit organizations and 3 high schools located in Manila, Philippines. After adjustment for age and sex, street children with little or no contact with their families were 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-2.3) times more likely to smoke tobacco, 1.3 (95% CI = 1.2-1.5) times more likely to use alcohol, 36.7 (95% CI = 16.4-82.0) times more likely to use inhalants, and 5.5 (95% CI = 3.6-8.2) times more likely to use illegal drugs than their non—street counterparts. Street children who maintained contact with their families, compared with non—street children, were 8.7 (95% CI = 3.9-19.4) times more likely to use inhalants and 2.8 (95% CI = 1.7-4.6) times more likely to use illegal drugs. There was no significant difference in tobacco or alcohol use between street children who maintained contact with their families and non—street children. All street children were significantly more likely to have been given or sold a drug in the past 30 days and to have received drug education compared with non—street children. Filipino street children are at greater risk of abusing drugs than are non—street children, with street children who do not maintain family contact being at greatest risk.