Anxiety Symptoms Among Crack-Cocaine and Inhalant Users in Southern Brazil

Background: There is limited information about the association of substance use and anxiety symptoms in Brazil.

Methods: Hypothesis: The frequency and intensity of anxiety symptoms differ significantly between crack cocaine and inhalant drug users. Sample: Fifty inhalant and 50 crack-cocaine users treated in a Brazilian training hospital completed the Portuguese versions of the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Personal Health Scale (PHS). Statistical Analyses: Independent sample t-tests were performed to investigate differences of means. Pearson coefficients were generated to explore significant score correlations. Two-way contingency table analyses also were performed.

Results: The mean age of crack and inhalant users was 22.8 and 17.3 years, respectively. There was a higher percentage of males in both groups. A significant difference (p<0.001) of HAM-A score means was observed between crack (8.38) and inhalant (16.45) users. STAI and PHS scores were not significantly different. Significant correlations (p<0.001) were detected among all instruments. The majority of participants presented signs of anxiety disorders: 58 percent and 87.8 percent of crack and inhalant users, respectively. Significantly more inhalant users were classified as “positive” for anxiety symptoms according to HAM-D than crack users (p<0.001). The majority of crack-cocaine users presented high anxiety symptoms (54%), while most inhalant users presented symptoms of medium intensity (50%). No significant difference in terms of symptomatic intensity was detected by STAI.

The results indicate that inhalant users present significantly more anxiety symptoms in comparison with crack-cocaine users.