| Popis: |
Data obtained from an epidemiologic study of a random sample of 1645 adults in a southeastern county show that 36% had taken psychotropic medications, 26% sedatives, 14% stimulants, 9% hallucinogens and 65% alcohol at some time in their lives. Psychotropic agents were used by larger percentages of middle-aged, female, white, widowed and divorced respondents than by others. Sedatives were used by larger percentages of older, female, white and widowed respondents than by others in the respective groups. Stimulants were used by larger percentages of younger, white, middle socioeconomic status (SES) groups and single and divorced respondents than by others. The use of these licit drugs appears to be associated, to some extent, with higher scores on scales measuring emotional distress. But the use of hallucinogens, mainly by the young, male, white, middle-SES single respondents, appears to be a cultural phenomenon. The use of alcohol was reported more frequently by young and middle-aged respondents, males, whites, those in the upper socioeconomic groups and the single and divorced than by their counterparts. The linear relationships between the greater frequency of alcohol use and high SES indicates that alcohol consumption may be a characteristic of upper SES life styles. |
