Peer-reviewed article

Current cannabis and lifetime amphetamine use among in-school adolescents in five ASEAN countries: socio-ecological perspectives

Supa Pengpid, Karl Peltzer · 27 May 2020

Abstract

The investigation aimed to estimate the prevalence of the use of cannabis in the past month and amphetamine in a lifetime and socio-ecological perspectives among in-school adolescents in five ASEAN countries. Cross-sectional survey data were analysed from 33,184 adolescents (median age 14 years, interquartile range = 2) from Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste that took part in the ‘Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS)’ in 2015. Overall, 3.1% of school students used cannabis currently (ranging from 0.4% in Laos to 5.6% in the Philippines), and lifetime amphetamine use was 3.0% (ranging from 0.3% in Laos to 5.1% in Timor-Leste). In adjusted logistic regression analysis, male sex (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.02–2.47), having no close friends (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.23–3.33), suicide attempt (OR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.68–4.32), current alcohol use (OR: 3.57, 95% CI: 2.29–5.57), current tobacco use (OR: 9.86, 95% CI: 5.87–13.37), school truancy (OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.44–2.89), low peer support (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.33–0.75), in a physical fight (OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.05–2.13) and injury (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.11–2.28) were associated with current cannabis use. Having no close friends (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.56–3.84), suicide attempt (OR: 2.88, 95% CI: 1.72–4.81), current alcohol use (OR: 3.88, 95% CI: 2.72–5.52), current tobacco use (OR: 6.22, 95% CI: 3.97–9.75), school truancy (OR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.52–2.92), low peer support (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.27–0.68), low parental connectedness (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.34–0.81), physically attacked (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.04–2.10), and injury (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.12–2.64) were associated with lifetime amphetamine use. Strategies for the prevention interventions of the use of cannabis and amphetamine in this school population may include identified risk factors.