PRESENTATION TYPE: Individual Paper

CATEGORY/THEME: Mental Health and Addiction

TITLE: Psychological distress, family functioning and use of
psychoactive substances in administrative workers of a University
of Higher Education in Nicaragua, May-August 2015.
ABSTRACT BODY:
Introduction: Professionals in the field of mental health and
addictions try to identify situations that cause psychoactive
substances use in the population, especially the working
population, due to this affects all areas of human well-being.
Many people when they suffer psychological distress and
problems in family functioning use psychoactive substances as a
way of coping with the emotional burden of the day.
In countries like Nicaragua, interest in mental health and
psychosocial well-being of the working population, it has little
concern among health authorities, the labor unions and even the
workers themselves. The purpose of this research was to answer
the question: What level of psychological distress and family
functioning presented administrative workers of a University of
Higher Education in Nicaragua, according to their use of
psychoactive substances between May to August 2015?
Methods: This study was cross-sectional analytical, involved a
sample of 240 workers, using random probability sampling. The
information collected was processed using SPSS.
Results: 61.7% of the samples were women and the average age
of the participants was 36 to 49 years. The results revealed the
presence of levels of psychological distress (39.9%) and moderate
family functioning (42.9%), while substances use in the last 12
months was 86.7%, mainly alcohol, tobacco and sedatives/
sleeping pills.
Moreover, a relationship between psychological distress and
family functioning (vp=.001.) and among the use of psychoactive
substances in the last 12 months (vp=.051 and vp=.001
respectively) it was found. Likewise an association between
psychological distress and high-risk drinking in the last 3 months
to tobacco and sedatives (vp=.022 and vp=.029 respectively) and
between the level of family functioning and high risk
consumption of alcohol (vp=.083).
Conclusions: It concludes that there is a relationship between the
level of psychological distress and family functioning as well
with high-risk consumption. It is recommended to universities to
take action recognizing the most used substances and correlations
between variables and to workers, it is recommended to make use
of professional resources in mental health institutions of the city.