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The association of childhood physical abuse with the onset and extent of drug use among regular injecting drug users
Author(s) -
Darke Shane,
Torok Michelle
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/add.12428
Subject(s) - confounding , medicine , substance abuse , drug , physical abuse , injury prevention , poison control , psychiatry , child abuse , medical emergency
Abstract Aims To determine whether childhood physical abuse ( CPA ) histories were associated with age of onset of psychoactive substance use and injecting, and the extent of polydrug use among injecting drug users ( IDU ). Design Cross‐sectional. Setting S ydney, A ustralia. Participants and measurements A total of 300 IDU were administered a structured interview examining the prevalence and severity of CPA and drug use histories. Findings Of the participants, 40.3% had experienced severe abuse ( SA ), 34.0% mild–moderate abuse ( MMA ) and 25.7% no abuse history ( NA ). After controlling for other variables, a history of severe CPA was a significant independent correlate of an earlier age at first alcohol intoxication compared to both the NA (β = −0.23, P < 0.01) and MMA (β = 0.20, P < 0.01) groups. Severe CPA was also a significant independent correlate of an earlier age at first illicit drug use compared to both the NA (β = −0.16, P < 0.05) and MMA (β = −0.15, P < 0.05) groups. In contrast, CPA histories were not independently associated with the onset of injecting drug use. After controlling for potential confounders, both the MMA (β = 0.28, P < 0.001) and SA (β = 0.27, P < 0.001) groups were associated with more extensive life‐time polydrug use, but did not differ from each other ( P = 0.82). After controlling for potential confounders, both MMA (β = 0.20, P < 0.01) and SA (β = 0.33, P < 0.001) group membership were associated with more extensive recent polydrug use but, again, did not differ significantly from each other ( P = 0.08). Conclusions Severe childhood physical abuse severity is associated with an earlier initiation into drug use. Any level of abuse is associated with more extensive life‐time and recent polydrug use.