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Substance Use, Abuse and Dependence in Germany: A Review of Selected Epidemiological Data

To provide background information about previous findings about the prevalence of use, abuse and dependence of various substances (nicotine, alcohol, prescription and illicit drugs) findings of available epidemiological studies in Germany from the 1980s and 1990s are summarized and critically evaluated. Focusing on findings of substance use surveys in adolescents and young adults the review indicates: (a) a considerable number of large scale questionnaire surveys in general population samples documenting the frequency of use and patterns of use of most substances; (b) indications of increasing rates of drug use particularly in East Germany; (c) high rates of illicit drug use, mainly of cannabinoids, but also stimulants and hallucinogens, among young age groups. No data are available from substance use surveys or from clinical epidemiological studies allowing the determination of how frequent substance abuse and substance dependence diagnoses are in the general population or in adolescents and young adults. Priorities for future research to ameliorate this unsatisfactory situation are outlined with emphasis on research in adolescents and young adults.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:DRESDEN/oai:qucosa:de:qucosa:26266
Date January 1998
CreatorsPerkonigg, Axel, Lieb, Roselind, Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich
PublisherKarger
Source SetsHochschulschriftenserver (HSSS) der SLUB Dresden
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typedoc-type:article, info:eu-repo/semantics/article, doc-type:Text
SourceEuropean Addiction Research, 1998, Bd. 4, Nr. 1-2, S. 8-17, ISSN: 1022-6877
Rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Relation10.1159/000018920

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