Objective
This paper aims to study the contributions of families of crack users on promoting both consumption and cessation of consumption of this substance.
Methods
A cross-sectional, mixed study with a quantitative design (descriptive and analytical statistics, by robust Poisson regression) and a qualitative design (thematic content analysis).
Results
Among 519 crack users interviewed 48.3% reported having shared crack cocaine with some family member. The more expressive occurrence of sharing was for marital relations indicated by 30.6% of respondents. The estimated prevalence rates of the outcome crack usage stopped for more than 12 weeks, by robust Poisson regression controlling for confounding factors, for crack users who reported shared with brothers use was 0.940 (95% CI: 0.885-0.999; p = 0.045). For qualitative dimension, 20 respondents freely exposed the involvement they realize that their families have with their drug use, some indicating opposition to consumption, other stimulus, or offering, besides the interplay between crack usage and family conflicts and a negative environment. In addition, respondents who reported having family members in mental health treatment were 9% more likely to be stopped for 12 weeks or more (PR = 1.09 95% CI: 1.03-1.15; p = 0.005).
Conclusion
Family groups appear not only as a protective factor, but also as an important risk factor for crack cocaine use and their inclusion treatments is justified on these evidences.
Families; family relations; crack cocaine; dependency