Maus tratos infantis e percursos na toxicodependência

in this study the authors propose to evaluate and compare the prevalence and types of child abuse in a sample of 121 subjects addicts (61 men and 60 women) followed up in outpatient clinic at centro das taipas, and analyze the relationship between the bad abuse suffered in childhood and patterns of consumption of psychoactive substances, serology of the hiv and risk behaviors experienced throughout life. the results show a high prevalence of physical, sexual and psychological factors in the childhood and adolescence of drug addicted individuals. they also show the differences between genders, suggesting a higher incidence of emotional abuse (maternal overprotection and rejection) and sexual abuse in women, and physical abuse in men. they also indicate a significantly higher prevalence of hiv+ and suicide attempts in the group of women addicts. these data reflect important preventive and therapeutic implications in clinical intervention with drug users, highlighting the importance of a careful diagnostic evaluation of the history of child abuse in individuals with problematic drug issues, so that is possible to design specific therapeutic approaches according to identified needs.