New indicators to compare and evaluate harmful drug use among adolescents in 38 European
countries
Sammanfattning
AIMS - New trends in drug consumption reveal increasing polydrug use. Epidemiological
indicators
in the current use are based on the prevalence and the associated potential harm of a single
"main" substance. We propose new indicators to evaluate frequency and potential harm of polydrug
use. The indicators are used to compare drug use among countries based on survey data
on adolescents’ substance use in 38 European countries. METHODS - The approach is based on
analysis of the frequency of use in the various population samples: lifetime use, twelve months
use or last thirty days, depending on available data, and on the risk of harm for the substances
used. Two indicators are provided: the frequency of use score (FUS) by summing the frequency of
use of each substance, and the polydrug use score (PDS) that weight all the substances used by
their risk. RESULTS - The indicators FUS and PDS were calculated and the distribution functions
were used to characterise substance use across ESPAD countries. The analysis shows important
differences in poly-substance use severity among countries presenting similar prevention policies.
CONCLUSIONS - Systematic analysis of substance use and the related risk are of paramount
interest. The proposed indicators are designed to better monitor and understand consequences of
polydrug use and to measure the resulting risk at country or population level. The indicators may
also be used to assess the effects of policy interventions.