A study of socio-demographic factors contributing to the habit of drug abuse in the urban slum community of Mumbai

Societies in all parts of the world have used substances to suppress pain and sorrow and also to get pleasurable sensations. A cross-sectional community based field survey were conducted to find out the socio-demographic factors contributing to the habit of drug abuse through door to door visit, to interview all individuals of either sex aged 15 and above in the selected sample household to enquire about drug abuse & their socio-demographic factors with structured proforma by two stage systematic sampling method, in the urban slum community of Malvani in P-North ward of Mumbai. The data collected were analyzed with the help of Mean, Standard deviation, Percentage, Chi-Square (chi(2)) test and Standard error of proportion. 49.7% were found positive for any type of either single or multiple drug abuse habit. 59.8% drug abusers were in the age group 15 to 34 yrs. 72.1% of drug abusers were either illiterate or primary or middle school educated. 53.1% drug abusers belonged to semiskilled group while 27.2% belonged to unemployed group. 65.2% males were having age of starting any drug in the age group 15-24 yrs. In males, reason of starting drug abuse were 81% due to peer pressure. Our results indicate that early age, illiteracy, low working status & poverty is the main socio-demographic factor for drug abuse. Peer pressure is playing very important role in initiation of any type of drug abuse.