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Cocaine use in Europe - a multi-centre study: patterns of use in different groups


Prinzleve, M; Haasen, C; Zurhold, H; Matali, J L; Bruguera, E; Gerevich, J; Bácskai, E; Ryder, N; Butler, S; Manning, V; Gossop, M; Pezous, A; Verster, A; Camposeragna, A; Andersson, P; Olsson, B; Primorac, A; Fischer, G; Güttinger, F; Rehm, J; Krausz, M (2004). Cocaine use in Europe - a multi-centre study: patterns of use in different groups. European Addiction Research, 10(4):147-155.

Abstract

AIM The study investigates patterns of cocaine powder and crack cocaine use of different groups in nine European cities. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Multi-centre cross-sectional study conducted in Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Hamburg, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, and Zurich. Data were collected by structured face-to-face interviews. The sample comprises 1,855 cocaine users out of three subgroups: 632 cocaine users in addiction treatment, mainly maintenance treatment; 615 socially marginalized cocaine users not in treatment, and 608 socially integrated cocaine users not in treatment. MEASUREMENTS Use of cocaine powder, crack cocaine and other substances in the last 30 days, routes of administration, and lifetime use of cocaine powder and crack cocaine. FINDINGS The marginalized group showed the highest intensity of cocaine use, the highest intensity of heroin use and of multiple substance use. 95% of the integrated group snorted cocaine powder, while in the two other groups, injecting was quite prevalent, but with huge differences between the cities. 96% of all participants had used at least one other substance in addition to cocaine in the last 30 days. CONCLUSIONS The use of cocaine powder and crack cocaine varies widely between different groups and between cities. Nonetheless, multiple substance use is the predominating pattern of cocaine use, and the different routes of administration have to be taken into account.

Abstract

AIM The study investigates patterns of cocaine powder and crack cocaine use of different groups in nine European cities. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Multi-centre cross-sectional study conducted in Barcelona, Budapest, Dublin, Hamburg, London, Paris, Rome, Vienna, and Zurich. Data were collected by structured face-to-face interviews. The sample comprises 1,855 cocaine users out of three subgroups: 632 cocaine users in addiction treatment, mainly maintenance treatment; 615 socially marginalized cocaine users not in treatment, and 608 socially integrated cocaine users not in treatment. MEASUREMENTS Use of cocaine powder, crack cocaine and other substances in the last 30 days, routes of administration, and lifetime use of cocaine powder and crack cocaine. FINDINGS The marginalized group showed the highest intensity of cocaine use, the highest intensity of heroin use and of multiple substance use. 95% of the integrated group snorted cocaine powder, while in the two other groups, injecting was quite prevalent, but with huge differences between the cities. 96% of all participants had used at least one other substance in addition to cocaine in the last 30 days. CONCLUSIONS The use of cocaine powder and crack cocaine varies widely between different groups and between cities. Nonetheless, multiple substance use is the predominating pattern of cocaine use, and the different routes of administration have to be taken into account.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:04 Faculty of Medicine > Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction
Dewey Decimal Classification:610 Medicine & health
Scopus Subject Areas:Health Sciences > Medicine (miscellaneous)
Social Sciences & Humanities > Health (social science)
Health Sciences > Psychiatry and Mental Health
Language:English
Date:2004
Deposited On:30 Jul 2014 15:01
Last Modified:12 Nov 2023 02:39
Publisher:Karger
ISSN:1022-6877
OA Status:Green
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1159/000079835
PubMed ID:15367815
  • Content: Published Version