Follow-Up the Outcome of Treatment of Inhalant Users
in Northeastern Thailand
Wirut Watanaphithuk MSc*,
Amornrat Ratanasiri PhD*, Manop Kanato PhD*
Affiliation :
* Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Background : Drug treatment in Thailand is categorized into three types, namely voluntary system, correctional system,
and compulsory system. The latter is under Inhalants Law and Drug Addict Rehabilitation Act 2002 A.D.
Objective : Follow-up the outcome of the compulsory system treatment in inhalant user on probation program and evaluate
hospital referrals and the process of follow-up in community.
Material and Method: A survey questionnaire adopted from KKU-VOUDIT was used in the present study in nine selected
provinces of Thailand. Nine hundred ninety two people formed the study population and were divided into 95 administrators,
71 stakeholders, and 760 inhalant users.
Results : Inhalant users were classified as experimental (56.8%), harmful (24.2%), dependent (13.9%), and psychosis (5.1%).
Majority of inhalant users were male (95.0%), 12 to 19 (61.3%), single (83.4%). In this group, 15.5% were students while
45.1% were temporarily employed, and 40.3% were unemployed. Most inhalant users never reused (72.2%). However, some
users re-used but were not incarcerated (12.2%) while others re-used and were incarcerated (15.5%).
Conclusion : As the targets are youths, sub-district administrative organization, basic education office, and primary healthcare
organizations should come together to bring about necessary changes.
Keywords : Follow-up, Outcome, Inhalant
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