An International Perspective

Brazilian emerging adults are treated for alcohol and other drugs problems in psychosocial care centers for alcohol and other drugs (CAPSad). The treatment for these individuals changed drastically over the past 40 years in Brazil, resulting in numerous positive changes involving deinstitutionalization, harm reduction, and comprehensive care. Against this backdrop, the goal of this chapter is to review the prevalence and etiology of substance use in this population in Brazil, discuss the Brazilian treatment system and which services are offered to this population, and present findings from a study comparing emerging and older adults, assessing the care they received in CAPSad in two states of Brazil. Data were collected from 2013 to 2014 in 15 CAPSad in the State of São Paulo and 14 CAPSad in the State of Minas Gerais. The results show emerging adults were less satisfied with treatment and more likely to be using illicit drugs than older adults. These results show the necessity of implementing treatment strategies focused on these population needs, to increase their treatment satisfaction and prevent the use of illegal drugs.