Ten regions of the country need urgent campaigns to prevent the consumption and sale of drugs, since these problems are increasing for different reasons. This is revealed by a report by the National Drug Observatory, attached to the Executive Secretariat of the Commission against Addictions and Illicit Drug Trafficking (Sectcatid).
The ten departments with the greatest need for campaigns, considering several factors are: Guatemala, El Progreso, Escuintla, Sololá, Jalapa, Sacatepéquez, Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, Chimaltenango and Suchitepéquez.
The study, conducted at the end of 2024, shows the reality facing each department and helps identify the areas where the intervention is more urgent.
Secatid data indicates that drug use is linked to factors such as poverty, lack of education and mental health problems. In the departments with more economic deficiencies, less access to education and higher indices of mental disorders, the situation is more critical.
This suggests that prevention policies should focus especially on these areas, where the lack of resources and the deterioration of psychological well -being seems to be determining factors in the behavior of drug use, says the report.
In addition, the document emphasizes that the distance between Guatemala City and the communities highlights the key role of logistics in the implementation of programs. The farthest departments, especially in rural areas, face greater difficulties in accessing prevention services.
Research models
To identify the ten departments of Guatemala with the greatest need for prevention programs against addictions, the section designed an analysis based on three key factors: the consumption and sale of substances, demographic conditions and mental health. In addition, the distance of these regions was taken into account with respect to the capital.
According to the report, if the prevention campaigns will focus on the places with greater consumption and sale of drugs, they should focus on Sololá, Suchitepéquez, El Progreso, Jutiapa, Jalapa, Guatemala, Baja Verapaz, Escuintla, San Marcos and Sacatepéquez.
As for the demographic model, the report indicates that there is not enough evidence to affirm that these variables have a strong relationship with the problem of addictions. However, it warns that this problem is influenced by multiple factors that vary among the population.
The results of this model reveal that the most developed departments could face a more serious situation of addictions, with an increase of 40.8% in the consumption and sale of drugs. In addition, in places with greater access to electricity, the problem grows up to 62%.
On the other hand, regions with high levels of poverty have an even more complex situation, with a 45% increase in cases of addiction. Income distribution inequality also influences, since the problem increases by 14.86%in the most unequal areas.
Interestingly, in departments where there is greater access to mobile phones, drug use tends to decrease by 47%.
If demographic conditions are mainly considered to define where to strengthen prevention campaigns, the departments with the greatest need for intervention would be high Verapaz, Quiché, Chiquimula, Huehuetenango, Petén, Baja Verapaz, Totonicapán and Sololá.
Mental health
This study highlights the importance of considering mental health by analyzing drugs and alcohol.
The results indicate that people with high levels of anxiety have 34% more likely to increase their consumption of substances compared to those who present less anxiety. In addition, the report analyzes other emotional factors, such as depression, anger, concern and boredom, which also influence these trends.
If the prevention campaigns focus on the departments with the greatest mental health problems, these would be Santa Rosa, El Progreso, Escuintla, Retalhuleu, Guatemala, Jutiapa, Sololá, Huehuetenango, Chimaltenango and San Marcos.
Compound index
To determine where more prevention campaigns are needed, experts combined several factors in a single analysis. This is the compound index, which takes into account: the consumption and sale of substances, demographic conditions and mental health in each department.
According to this analysis, the ten departments with the greatest need for intervention are Sololá, El Progreso, Jutiapa, Jalapa, Suchitepéquez, Escuintla, Guatemala, San Marcos, Baja Verapaz and Santa Rosa.
Distance adjustment
To further refine the results, an adjusted version of the compound index was created, adding a key factor: the distance from Guatemala City. This is relevant because the teams in charge of the campaigns must be transferred from the capital, and some farthest departments may face greater logistics difficulties.
In including this criterion, the list of priority departments changes slightly. The ten with the greatest need for campaigns, considering both the seriousness of the problem and the ease of access, are Guatemala, El Progreso, Escuintla, Sololá, Jalapa, Sacatepéquez, Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, Chimaltenango and Suchitepéquez.
Community prevention
In the vice presidency it was reported that the section attends the prevention of addictions in different departments through specialized personnel.
It was indicated that these interventions respond to a program that began to be implemented during the current government.
It is a priority for Vice President Karin Herrera the prevention of addictions for the well -being of the general population. This work has an impact on the quality of life of citizens, as well as the safety and economy of families, it was reported.
Since November of last year, the prevention program in several communities has been promoted, with emphasis on community community groups. As part of the actions, alliances with community leaders have been established.
The departments where the program will be implemented are Chimaltenango, Quetzaltenango, Zacapa and Escuintla. In the case of Chimaltenango, it will begin in the municipality of Santa Apolonia.