PREVALENCE OF SUBSTANCE INDUCED PSYCHOSIS IN THAILAND
Keywords:
Substance abuse, Psychiatric symptoms, PrevalenceAbstract
Mental health problems arising from substance use have become increasingly evident in Thai society. This descriptive study aimed to assess the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms among individuals who use illicit substances. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted using a five-stage stratified sampling method. Thailand was divided into 10 regions, and systematic random sampling was performed at the provincial, sub-district, and community levels. Households were systematically selected based on the most recent updated community maps. Within each selected household, members were stratified by gender, and simple random sampling was applied using a random number table in each stratum.
A total of 34,410 individuals participated in the study. Data were collected from March to October 2024 using face-to-face structured interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed, including frequency distribution, percentage, odds ratio (OR), 95% confidence intervals (CI), point estimation, and chi-square test.
The findings revealed that approximately six million Thais aged 12–65 years, or 122.42 per 1,000 population, had used at least one type of illicit substance. The highest prevalence of substance use was observed among males and individuals aged 20–24 years. This group also exhibited the highest prevalence of substance-induced psychiatric symptoms, with statistically significant differences. The most commonly reported symptoms included delusional speech, social withdrawal, aggressive behavior, restlessness, and physical assault of others.
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