Physical Symptoms and Psychological Distress Among Inhalant Users

Abstract

A sample of 110 Mexican American adolescents, consisting of subjects with a variety of toxicant inhalant use histories ranging from no use to heavy chronic use, was studied as part of a 4-year follow-up project to determine relationships of inhalant use with health problems, physical symptoms, and psychological adjustment. Self-reports of health problems were not related to inhalant or other drug use histories. However, analysis of blood specimens showed that more extensive lifetime inhalant use was related to SMAC profiles indicative of potential liver problems, and other drug use was associated with test results suggestive of other (non-liver) problems. Based on self-reports, anxiety! depression, cognitive functioning problems, and bowel or bladder symptoms were significantly related to lifetime inhalant use, and psychological distress symptoms were positively related to physical symptoms. Females reported significantly more physical symptoms and psychological distress symptoms than males. Health care providers should be alert to the asymptomatic health problems firequently found in adolescents using inhalants and other drugs.