Recreational Drug Use Amongst Children and Adolescents Presenting to Australian Emergency Departments With Acute Behavioural Disturbance: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the historical and current use of recreational drugs by a trial cohort of youth presenting to the emergency department (ED) whilst experiencing acute behavioural disturbance (ABD).

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of a randomised, controlled trial comparing medication management of ABD in children and adolescents aged nine to 17 years who were deemed to require oral sedative medication.

RESULTS

Recreational drugs were used by 33% of participants any time prior to enrolment (115/348). Cannabis was the most commonly used (87/348, 25%), followed by amphetamines/methamphetamines (32/348, 9%) and benzodiazepines (26/348, 7%).

CONCLUSION

Recreational drug use may be a contributing factor to ABD amongst children and adolescents presenting to EDs.