Abstract
In this study, we aimed to identify the current trend of novel psychoactive substance (NPS) consumption in Italy and the level of knowledge about NPS in the general population and to explore the presence of risk factors for a lifetime NPS misuse. We conducted an anonymous online survey, administered to a large sample of people of any age living in Italy, asking for their knowledge about NPS as well as their history of drug use. Descriptive statistics were reported, and regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for lifetime use of NPS. A total of 1097 individuals gave a valid response to the survey. A lifetime use of NPS was reported by 13.5%. Multivariate regression analysis showed that male gender (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.52–3.55), homosexual sexual orientation (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.21–5.27), a use of emergency services due to alcohol (OR 3.38, 95% CI 2.23–5.12) and previous contact with mental health services (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.04–2.41) were risk factors for a lifetime use of NPS (p < 0.05). An improvement of preventive strategies and simplified access to information on NPS, especially tailored to individuals at increased risk of misuse, could slow diffusion of NPS and avert the consequences of substance use.
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Data Availability
The full questionnaire and the Appendix are available as supplementary material freely accessible at https://github.com/carolzangani/SurveyNPS.git.
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The authors thank ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo di Milano for the patronage, and Progetto Itaca, SIP Lombardia and SIAPAD for their support. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the UK National Health Service, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
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Caroline Zangani conceptualised the research. Protocol and material preparation was performed by Armando D’Agostino, Barbara Giordano, Caroline Zangani and Edoardo Giuseppe Ostinelli. All the authors contributed to the diffusion of the survey. Caroline Zangani and Edoardo Giuseppe Ostinelli performed the statistical analyses and drafted the manuscript. All the authors contributed to finalise the paper and agreed to the final version.
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Fabrizio Schifano was a member of the UK Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD; 2011-2019) and is currently a member of the EMA Advisory Board (Psychiatry). Edoardo G. Ostinelli has received research and consultancy fees from Angelini Pharma and he is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Professorship to Professor Andrea Cipriani (grant RP-2017–08-ST2-006) and by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley (ARC OxTV) at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. Caroline Zangani is supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford cognitive health Clinical Research Facility and by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (grant BRC-1215–20005). All other authors declare no conflict of interests. The supporters had no role in the design, analysis, interpretation or publication of this study. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the UK National Health Service, the NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care.
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Zangani, C., Ostinelli, E.G., Giordano, B. et al. Knowledge and Use of Novel Psychoactive Substances in Italy: a Survey-Based Study in the General Population. Int J Ment Health Addiction 21, 1679–1699 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00683-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00683-z