DRUG-USE AMONG STREET CHILDREN IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

We studied the self-reported activities engaged in by children found w andering on the streets of Porto Alegre, Brazil, aiming to describe th eir drug abuse habits and practice of thefts or mendicancy. One hundre d-and-five youngsters, 6-18 years old, were interviewed in the streets . Although the external appearence of the interviewed children lacked cues as to their life-style differences, three diverse life-style char acteristics were depicted among them. Almost 25% of the children lived with their families and went to school (FAMSCH) and 46% lived with th eir families but didn't go to school (FAM). The other 29% spent all da y long and slept in the streets (STREET). The most frequently used dru g for the total group of children was tobacco, followed by alcohol; wi th a much higher prevalence of use of both alcohol and tobacco among c hildren from the STREET subgroup. Alcohol was used by more than 25% of the STREET children and tobacco by 58% of the children from this subg roup, in a regular (almost daily) basis. Less than 12% of the FAMSCH c hildren used illicit drugs. Inhalants were the preferred drugs for ill icit drug experimental use. Only 4% of the children attending school s niffed solvents in a regular basis. Regular abuse of inhalants was rep orted much more frequently by the STREET subgroup of children, reachin g a prevalence of 40%. Self-report of marijuana smoking was described to be regular by 4% of the FAMSCH children and 26% by the STREET child ren. A significantly higher number of the children who lived with thei r families in comparison to the STREET children described work activit ies (selling food, washing cars or polishing shoes) while out in the s treets. On the other hand the practice of thefts was self-reported mai nly by the children from the STREET group and only by the ones who use d illicit drugs. Children who lived with their families reported less mendicancy and thefts than STREET children. These results show that ve ry poor children might spend many hours of the day by themselves in th e streets of a big city accompanied by children who are never under ad ult supervision. In spite of being alone for some hours a day and maki ng friends with others who might use drugs, having a family and regula rly attending school decreases the risk of delinquent acts and drug us e.