A profile of young people receiving treatment for drug misuse in 1998 and some policy implications.

The Drug Misuse Research Division of the Health Research Board maintains and develops the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NTDRS). The NTDRS is an epidemiological database providing information on all treated drug misuse in the Republic of Ireland. Following a brief overview of the Division's activities and of the NTDRS, summary findings will be discussed for young drug misusers (those of 19 years of age and younger) who received treatment in 1998 for drug misuse (n=1366). Characteristics of young misusers including risk behaviours will be addressed. The age profile, type of problem drug used, and source of referral information, for these young people will be outlined. The profiles of young people resident in the EHB will be contrasted with those resident outside the EHB and also with those that are homeless. Information about treated drug misuse and its trends, the characteristics of those affected and their drug misuse patterns is essential to planning appropriate strategies and interventions at local and national levels. The data presented here suggest that there is a need for drug treatment services to be designed to meet specific needs of these young developing adolescents. In addition, the data illustrate differences in the characteristics of misusers of various types of drugs, suggesting a range of treatment options need to be considered for different treatment groups