Age of Substance Use Initiation Among Treatment Admissions Aged 18 to 30

Excerpt

Background: Initiating substance use during childhood or adolescence is linked to substantial long-term health risks. Early (aged 12 to 14) to late (aged 15 to 17) adolescence is generally regarded as a critical risk period for the initiation of alcohol use, with multiple studies showing associations between age at first alcohol use and the occurrence of alcohol abuse or dependence. There is evidence across a range of other substances—including marijuana, cocaine, other psychostimulants, and inhalants—that the risk of developing dependence or abuse is greater for individuals who initiate use of these substances in adolescence or early adolescence than for those who initiate use during adulthood. Methods: Data from the 2011 Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) were analyzed, comparing demographic and other characteristics of admissions across five age-of-initiation groups: those initiating at the age of 11 or younger; between 12 and 14; between 15 and 17; between 18 and 24; and 25 or older. Results: In 2011, 74% of substance abuse treatment admissions aged 18 to 30 with known age of initiation information began substance use at the age of 17 or younger; 10.2% initiated use at the age of 11 or younger. 78.1% of admissions that began substance use at the age of 11 or younger reported abusing two or more substances at treatment entry; only 30.4% of admissions that initiated at the age of 25 or older reported multiple substances of abuse. Admissions that initiated substance use at the age of 25 or older reported the largest proportions of primary abuse of heroin (35.3%) and prescription pain relievers (33.2%). 38.6% of admissions that initiated substance use at the age of 11 or younger reported a co-occurring mental disorder. Conclusion: In 2011, 74.0% of treatment admissions aged 18 to 30 years reported that they initiated alcohol or drug use at the age of 17 or younger, which demonstrates the critical importance of prevention initiatives aimed at children and youths. The findings also show an inverse relationship between age of initiation and the number of substances of abuse reported: generally, a younger age of initiation was associated with more substances of abuse, particularly among those that initiated at the age of 11 or younger. Admissions that initiated substance use at the age of 11 or younger had the highest proportion of co-occurring mental disorders at the time of admission to substance abuse treatment, suggesting that initiation of substance use at this age may be an early indicator of mental disorders.