| Background: Geographical variations in youthful drug involvement within and across urban, and rural areas of Central America have been poorly studied in prior epidemiological evidence. Aims: To determine if there is geographical variation in the cumulative occurrence (CO) of first trial of drugs by age 13 across countries, with attention to residence in 'capital city' vs. 'non-capital' areas. Methods : Crude and adjusted odds ratio estimates (by covariates such as sex and age) based on multiple logistic regressions were calculated based on a secondary data analysis of 12,560 school-attending adolescents from seven countries in Central America (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Dominican Republic). Results: Alcohol and tobacco are the most popular NRDs (Non-Regulated Drugs) in both the total sample and across countries and there is geographical variation in the risk of first trial by age 13 of drugs such alcohol (Panama: aOR=1.93, Honduras aOR=1.54 and Costa Rica: aOR=1.34); tobacco (El Salvador: aOR=2.06, Honduras: aOR=1.71, Costa Rica: aOR=1.48 and Dominican Republic: aOR=1.36) and marijuana (Costa Rica: aOR=5.74). Conclusions: This study sheds light on a possible rural-urban gap, especially in relation to alcohol and tobacco and sources of this variation could be due to genetic, environmental, economical, cultural and social factors. Support: NIDA/NIH/FIC awards: D43TW05819; K05DA015799. |
