Socio-Demographic Correlates of Psychoactive Substance Abuse among Secondary School Students in Enugu, Nigeria (original) (raw)
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Substance use among secondary school adolescents in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria
Jos Journal of Medicine, 2019
Background: Adolescent substance use is a growing epidemic that is placing heavy burdens on individuals, families and communities hence the stimulus for this study. Aim/Objectives: To determine the prevalence and pattern of substance use among secondary school adolescents in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Nigeria. Methods: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional, descriptive study done over a three-month period among secondary school adolescents aged 10 to 18 years old after obtaining appropriate ethical approvals, consent and assent. Results: A total of 1,196 questionnaires were analysed, of which 641 (53.6%) were females and 1,052 (87.96%) from public schools. The overall prevalence rate for lifetime use was 72.7%. The substance with the highest prevalence rates for lifetime, annual and current use was kola nut (44.3%, 24.4 and 11.0%, respectively) and lowest for heroin (0.7%, 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively). There was a statistically significant male preponderance for licit substance use and a non-statistically significant female preponderance for illicit substance use. 507(42.4%) students were single substance users while 363 (30.35%) students were multiple substance users. Age at first use was at ten years of age or less. Conclusion and recommendations: There is need for strengthening substance use prevention programmes and implementing regulatory laws on sale and use of substances. Stiffer penalties for offenders are recommended.
2017
Despite the existing scanty data on patterns of drug abuse in specific groups in the Nigerian communities due to the tendency of changing patterns in illicit drug use with various alarming reports on same points to the need to constantly update information on the use of drugs among Nigerian adolescents. This was a cross sectional, descriptive study on the prevalence of substance use amongst adolescents. A total number of 400 Senior Secondary Schools 1,2,3 students from two selected schools in Kagoro Chiefdom of Kaura local government area in Kaduna State (Nigeria) were randomly administered with a pre-coded four sections (socio-demographic information, drug awareness and use, attitude of the students to drug abuse and practice of substance abuse). Out of a total of 400 respondents, which males constituted 75% and females 25% of substance users. 89.20% were aware of substance use and 10.80 % were not aware. Substances used were alcohol (52.58%), analgesics (33.7%), marijuana (2.59%),...
Nigerian Journal of Medicine, 2019
BACKGROUND: Adolescents use substances for various reasons such as for pleasure, stress and anger management. Many factors have been reported to influence adolescent substance use. However, there is paucity of reports from this part of Nigeria. AIM/OBJECTIVES: To identify the socio-demographic factors associated with substance use among secondary school adolescents in Gwagwalada Area Council. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive, questionnaire-based, study was carried out in secondary schools among adolescents aged 10 years to 18 years who met the inclusion criteria and after appropriate ethical approval had been obtained. RESULTS: One thousand, one hundred and ninety-six student-filled questionnaires were analysed. The mean age of the students was 14.54 years ± SD 2.28. The students' religion, family structure, residence and type of school were associated with licit substance use while their religion, family structure and residence were associated with illicit substance use (P =<0.05). There was also statistically significant relationships between frequency in participation in religious activities and tobacco use (P = <0.01) and birth order and cocaine and hallucinogen use at P = 0.014 and P = 0.018, respectively. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Several factors were associated with adolescent substance use in this study. It is recommended that more in-depth studies be done to determine causality.
2021
Background: Over the years different substances of abuse have been reported from one setting to the other. The availability, accessibility and affordability of these materials determine the pattern of their abuse in these areas. Gateway substance like alcohol and tobacco were commonly reported among adolescents. However, newer substances are now been abused due to their cheaper cost and difficult detection by available drug screening methods. The current study had a critical look at the current drugs being abused among adolescent students enrolled in secondary schools in Umuahia. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study of adolescent students in secondary schools in urban and rural communities in Umuahia. A modified WHO student drug use questionnaire and UDT kits were used to ascertain the drug use status of participants. Chi-square was used to test for significant association between categorical variables. p-values <0.05 were accepted as significant. Results: The commonest licit substance by self-report was coffee in 128 (32.0%) current abusers followed by kola nut in 75 (18.8%) of them. Among the illicit substances, cannabis had a prevalence of 18.8%. The least self-reported substance was cocaine with a prevalence of 0.8%. Oxycodone was the commonest substance detected by UDT with a prevalence of 24.8%, cocaine was also the least by UDT with a prevalence of 1.5%. Conclusion: The study revealed that coffee was the most abused licit drug followed by kolanut by self-report. Cannabis and "Lacatomtom" were the most abused illicit materials with cocaine being the least by self-report. UDT obtained oxycodone, cannabis, opioids and methamphetamine with cocaine as the least. Recommendation: Mandatory random drug use surveys should be introduced in our schools to monitor and offer mitigating actions against the rising drug demand among our adolescents.
African Journal of Psychiatry, 2010
Objective: Substance use continues to be major risk behaviour among youth, with consequent physical and /or mental health complications. The current study aimed to establish the prevalence and associated factors of substance use among selected secondary school students in Lagos. Method: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive study among selected secondary school students in Lagos. Permission was obtained from appropriate school authorities; as well as consent from each participant. The WHO Students' Drug Use Questionnaire which had been previously validated in the country was used to obtain the drug use information from the subjects. Analysis of the data was conducted using Epi-info version 5. Results: A total of 402 students were studied-of whom 43.5% (n=175) were males and 56.5% (n=227) females. The mean age was 15.9 years. 83.1% (n=334) lived with their parents, 7.6% (n=31) with their relatives and 7.2% (n=29) with friends. The commonest substances used by the subjects were caffeine (kolanut and coffee), mild analgesics (paracetamol and aspirin) and the antimalarials, most especially chloroquine with lifetime use prevalence rates of 85.7%, 73.8% and 65.7% respectively. Generally, the prevalence rates for lifetime use of the substances varied from 3.8% (n=14) for Heroin and Cocaine to 85.7% (n=344) for psychostimulants; and for current use varying from 2% (n=8)to 56.5% (n= 213). For the so called "gateway drugs": alcohol and tobacco, their lifetime use prevalence rates were 9.2% (n=34) and 5.2% (n=19) while the lifetime use prevalence rate for cannabis was 4.4% (n=16). In terms of gender, the prevalence rates for males were generally higher than for their female counterparts except for antibiotics, analgesics, heroin and cocaine. Reasons for using substances included relief from stress, 43.5% (n=175), self medication to treat illness, 23.8% (n=96), and to stay awake at night to study, 14.9% (n=60). Conclusion: Substance use was found to be prevalent among students in this study involving over-the-counter and socially acceptable substances as well as the abuse of illicit substances. It is advocated that there is a need to review existing health educational programmes.
Psychoactive substance use has been a major challenge among secondary schools in Nigeria with associated physical, health and mental health complications. This study was aimed to establish the prevalence, pattern and sociodemographic correlates of psychoactive substance use among secondary school students in a locality in Nigeria. Method: This is a descriptive study, permission was obtained from appropriate school authorities and consent was taken from each participant. The W H O Students' Drug Use Questionnaire which had been previously validated was used to obtain drug use information from the respondents. The data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences [ SPSS 16] and p value set at less than 0.05. Results: A total of 940 students were analyzed of whom 53.4% n= 502 were males and 46.6% [438] were females. The mean age was 14.3 years. 73.8% [n=694] lived with their parents, 12.9% [n=121] lived outside the home, 10.9% [n=102] with guardians and 2.4% with friends. The commonest substances used were alcohol, stimulants and hypnosedatives with life time use prevalent rates of 41.2%, 24.5% and 7.0% and current use prevalent rates of 17.8%, 18.4% and 2.3% respectively. The life time use prevalent rates of nicotine, opioids, cocaine and cannabis were 6.6%, 1.9%, 0.3% and 2.2%. Stimulant [coffee and kolanuts] was the most common currently used substance with prevalence of 18.4%. The overall lifetime prevalence use rate of any substance was 86.8%. Logistic regression analysis showed that parental drug use, use of drug by peers and school mates, gender and residential place significantly correlated with the use of drug by the students. Conclusion: Psychoactive substance use was prevalent among secondary school students in this study and it is advocated that concerted efforts should made to stem the trend through massive campaign by government and non governmental bodies against drug abuse and inclusion of drug education in schools curriculum.
The objective of this study was to investigate Substance abuse among in school and Out-of-school youth in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria, the commonly use substances, causes, effects, and protection. Cross-sectional descriptive survey was used to cover some selected schools and Out-of-school groups, key informants and selling points in Sokoto. The obtained data was analyzed using content analysis. The results of the study show that, most of the respondents are males (93%), only few are females (6.7%). All the respondents are Muslims. Most of the Out-of-School Youth (OSY) are married (80%) and only 6.7% are married among in school youth (ISY).The respondent's age was within 18-22 years in most cases. Most (80%) of ISY are at senior secondary classes, 46.7% of OSY left school after primary education, 26.7% never attended school. Most of the respondents have more than 2 kids (93.3%), only 6.7% have about 10 kids. Commonly submitted drugs/substances are: cigarette, cannabis, alcohol, inhalants, tranquilizers, opiates, and hallucinogens. Therein, reasons for substance abuse were: social/ peer pressure, rebellion, overwork/learning, shyness, fear, parental influence, fun and lack of role model. It also revealed that ISY st arted drug use earlier than the OSY. Friends, drug pushers, curiosity introduced youth to drugs. There are several effects of substance abuse on the individual, friends, and Community. At individual level there are: bad temper, disturbed sleep, ill-health, depression, anxiety, tiredness, disrespect, failure at workplace/school. At family level the effects include: disgrace, breakdown of relationship, loss of confidence in child, and ill-health. At friend's level, the effects include: breakdown of relationship, fear, anxiety. And at community or society levels, the effects listed were: crime, reduced productivity, violence, ill-health, high cost of treatment, accidents. To protect youth from substance abuse, the following measures were submitted by the respondents: parents should not expose children to drugs, parents should give them confidence and proper knowledge to make decisions, peer group educators should work, and there should be national campaign against drugs. Key informants (KIs) submitted similar assertions like the youth respondents. During observation of sell outlets, mostly, youth (18-25 years) patronize the sell outlets in Sokoto. The inhabitants exhibits calmness and peace during their transactions and it mostly occur in the night and it become peak during rainy seasons. Diverse efforts and interventions are required to prevent substance abuse in youth.
Pattern of Drug Abuse among Adolescents in Lokoja Metropolis of Kogi State, Nigeria
Pattern of Drug Abuse among Adolescents in Lokoja Metropolis of Kogi State, Nigeria, 2019
Background: Adolescence is characterized by thrill-seeking and looking for new experiences which are often accompanied with experimentation with substance use and testing boundaries with its attendant consequences. Aim: The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the prevalence levels, pattern and types of abused substances in Lokoja metropolis and provide valuable information for stakeholders. Study Design: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study carried out among adolescents In Lokoja Metropolis of Kogi State, Nigeria. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria from June to September 2018. Methodology: A questionnaire-based study using a simple random sampling method to select respondents. Results: A total of one hundred and sixty four questionnaires were administered after assent from the respondents and signed consent from parents or guardians. The respondents who were made up of 90 males and 74 females, 44 respondents fell between the age category of 10-13, 38 and 82 respondents fell within the categories of 14-16 and 17-19 respectively. Of these respondents, 5 were educated to primary school level, 129 to secondary level, 27 of them to tertiary level and 3 of them had no formal education at all. The use of illicit drugs appeared to be increasing with age, for Original Research Article Otorkpa; JALSI, 20(3): 1-9, 2019; Article no.JALSI.48520 2 male respondent, 6.9% for ages 10-13, 14.2% for ages 14-16 and 32.5% for ages 17 to 19, among the female respondents same pattern was observed 0%, 11.76% and 11.9 % respectively for the same age categories. Furthermore, the use of illicit drug was more prevalent in males than in females, the prevalence rate for males was 20% and 9.46% in females. Overall, peer pressure was found to have the most influence among adolescents who use illicit substances and marijuana was found to be the most abused drug by adolescents in the metropolis, 46.67% in males, and 32.43% in females. However, the rate of abuse of codeine and non-codeine based cough syrups among females was also found to be higher and almost at par with marijuana 31.08%. Although there was a significant statistical relationship between age and drug abuse in males with a p-value of 0.024151 at p < 0.05, the relationship was not significant among females. Conclusion: The abuse of marijuana being the most abused drug by adolescents in the metropolis, 46.67% in males, and 32.43% in females in addition to the abuse of new substances especially the high rate of codeine and non-codeine based cough syrups among females is an important finding with far reaching public health consequences. There is the need for increased awareness on the harmful physical, mental and social effects of substance abuse and stricter enforcement of drug laws and regulations to protect adolescents.
2020
Background: The use and abuse of psychoactive substances among adolescents pose serious health problems in society. It is crucial to ascertain the factors predisposing adolescents to this in order to enable action by stakeholders. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and factors associated with psychoactive substance use among in-school adolescents in Zaria Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in nine secondary schools selected by balloting with a sample size of 639 students. A semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information on socio-demographics and lifetime/current use of psychoactive substances. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and logistic regression at P=0.05. Results: The mean age of respondents was 15.98±1.52 years, 51% were male, and 54.6% were aged 14-16 years. The lifetime and current prevalence of psychoactive substances...
Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies
This study quantifies the prevalence of substance use among youth in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the Lagos Metropolitan Region. This research examines both in and out-of-school youths in a cross-sectional manner. Using a multistage sampling method, four hundred respondents were chosen as the sample population from the Eti-Osa LGA population. Data were gathered using a quantitative, then analysed using SPSS. The study indicated that the group under observation had a high knowledge of problematic substance use (93.5%). That substance use was common and most prevalent in male youth. Indian Hemp and Tramadol were the two most complex substances most frequently consumed. Nonetheless, codeine was more frequently ingested by the individuals under study. These drugs are pretty widely available and reasonably priced. Friends (they inspired 88% of users), followed by social media (41%), movies and entertainment (48%), and other sources (48%). The use of drugs is increasing and could ...