[Alcohol and other psychoactive substances addiction risk assessment among chosen high school students test group]

Use of nicotine, alcohol and other psychoactive substances plays an important role in youth death rate and incidence proportion. The probability of accidents, risky sexual behaviors or interpersonal aggression rises when young people are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. In all the developed countries alcohol and other psychoactive substances are the main risk factors leading to youth death caused by traffic accidents, murders and suicides. That is the reason why the popularization of a simple and effective screening tool that would allow choosing the high risk youth group and implementing early intervention program is so important to conduct in Poland.

Alcohol and other psychoactive substances addiction risk assessment within the chosen test group of high school youth attending different types of schools in a medium size city.

Study was conducted in February 2014 in three high schools - public high school, catholic high school and technical high school, located in Stalowa Wola reaching 119 students from 3rd grade (18-19 years old). Study utilized CRAFFT test (Alcohol and Other Drug Screening Test).

Within the past 12 months previous to the screening 92.4% of tested students drunk alcohol, 26.1% smoked marihuana and 10.9% used other psychoactive substances. One fourth of students admitted to driving or riding the car with the driver who was under the influence of alcohol or other drug. One half of the students ad. mitted drinking alcohol or using drugs to relax, improve the mood or to fit in. One in five students was confronted by friends or family members and asked to limit use of alcohol or drugs.

Based on CRAFFT test results over a half of students (53.6%) may be diagnosed with significant psychoactive substances addiction risk and should be promptly subjected to preventive actions.