1. Zervou Chryssoula, Head of the Research Department of KETHEA PLEFSI
Sociodemographic characteristics of individuals who contacted KETHEA-PLEFSI during
Zervou Chryssoula, Head of the Research Department of KETHEA PLEFSI

2. During the years 2004-2008 the number of adolescents who contacted KETHEA PLEFSI was 281.

3. SEX
The percentage of the boys and girls remains stable. 2 out of the 10 adolescents are girls.

4. AGE
The average adolescent’s age when they come to KETHEA PLEFSI is 17.5 years old

5. SOURCE OF REFERENCE
Most of the adolescents (96.4%) where new members and had no previous experience of therapy (89.3%)
The family of the adolescents is the most common reference source, as the parents are the first to ask for services.

6. EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
83.6% of the adolescents are still in school when they come to KETHEA PLEFSI.
Only 9% of the adolescents have dropped out their education, at the average age of 16 years old.

7. EDUCATIONAL LEVEL
Most of the adolescents that are still in school, are at a secondary level, high school and lyceum.

8. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT
The majority of the adolescents ( 95.7%) were Greek.
92.9% of the adolescents lived with their parents.
3 out of 10 were living with one of their parents as the latter were not living together.
18% of the adolescents were living with other drug users at the same house, usually siblings.

9. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT - FATHER
13.5% of the adolescents reported that their father had alcohol problems

10. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT- MOTHER
At the other side, adolescents reported that their mother had psychological problems.

11. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT-SIBLINGS
As it seems from the diagram above, the main issue of the brothers and sisters is the drug use.

12. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT
A big percentage (46%) of the adolescents who asked for services reported that at least one of the other members of the family (father/mother/siblings) faces psychological or alcohol or drug use problems.

13. SUBSTANCE USE – FIRST SUBSTANCE USE
The average age the adolescents had their first substance use experience, is 15 years old.
The first substance they try is Cannabis (91.8%)

14. SUBSTANCE USE – MAIN SUBSTANCE OF USE
After a while, at the average age of 15,2 adolescents start the use of the main substance, which remains Cannabis, at a percentage of 89.7%. These findings are closely related to the profile of our services.

15. SUBSTANCE USE – MAIN SUBSTANCE OF USE
Many adolescents use the main substance at a rate of about once a week.
By the time they come to KETHEA PLEFSI they have already an average of 2 years of use.

16. SUBSTANCE USE – SECONDARY SUBSTANCES
The secondary substances the adolescents mostly use are Cocaine, MDMA (Ecstasy) and LSD.

17. DRINKING AND SMOKING
As long as for the adolescent’s drinking habits, most of them (40.6%) refer that they drink 1-2 drinks per week and a percentage of 31.7% refers that they don’t drink alcohol at all.
Smoking on the other hand, is a daily habit. 38.4% of the adolescents refer that they smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day. Only a percentage of 10% refers that they don’t smoke at all.

18. SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
Almost half of the adolescents (46%) refer that they have sexual relationship with a stable companion, while a percentage of 40.2% refers that they are not in a permanent relationship.
As for the protection they use, most of the adolescents (41.3%) refer that they always use condom and others (23%) that they use it often.

19. ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR
The adolescents that address to KETHEA PLEFSI usually don’t have problems with the law. A percentage of 23.5 reported that they had been arrested at least once, at the average age of 16 years old