Substance Abuse Among Students in Selected Secondary Schools in Akure South Lga, Ondo State: Prevalence and Associated Factors (Published)
Substance abuse is the abuse of psychoactive substances; such as, alcohol and illegal narcotics. Drug misuse has become a worldwide epidemic, posing a serious threat to public health on a global scale. It is associated with increasingly frightening physical, psychological, social and economic consequences; however, there is limited study on prevalence and associated factors of substance abuse among secondary school students in Akure South LGA Ondo State, which is the objective of this study. This study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional methodology. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the schools and a Taro Yamane formula to determine sample size of 365 pupils. Proportional sample was calculated for each school and participants selected randomly. The results revealed a substance abuse prevalence of 16.4%, with palm wine and coffee being the most commonly used substances. Other substances included, cough mixture, local gin, alcohol, codeine (cough syrup), cannabis, cigarette, Rohypnol and tramadol. The key influencers of substance use among the respondents included to boost energy (38.6%), to think and read more clearly (31.5%), recreational purposes (25.5%), use by friends and colleagues (24.4%) and to forget about problems (20%). Multiple substance use was higher among older male students and those living with their fathers only. All users of alcohol and cannabis reportedly took them whenever they felt like; so also, did high percentages of users of the local gin, palm wine, tobacco, and Rohypnol. Substances taken mostly twice a day were cough mixture and coffee; and cigarettes once a day. School nurses and counsellors in Akure South LGA, and stakeholders in adolescent health and development, should consider the high prevalence and pattern of substance use reported in this study in planning context-relevant interventions in their locations. This will promote all-round health of their students, and the safety and security of their community.
Keywords: Prevalence, Secondary Schools, Students, Substance abuse, associated factors
Sedentary Lifestyle Prevalence among Workers in Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization in Kenya (Published)
People who spend too much time being sedentary are more likely to develop musculoskeletal disorders and other non- communicable diseases (NCDs). This health risk is likely to increase with increasing sedentary office setting and lifestyle. In Kenya, the sedentary lifestyle is on the increase while its baseline data has not been documented appropriately. This study investigated sedentary lifestyle prevalence among workers in seven selected institutes within Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO). The study concentrated on a population of 820 office and laboratory workers in seven KALRO institutes located in the Nairobi Metropolitan. The sample size (n= 96), was calculated using Daniel’s formula for prevalence studies. A Cross-sectional survey was employed on respondents and objective questionnaires administered. Waist to height ratio (WHtR) and waist circumference (WC) was measured using a stretch resistant tape in accordance with WHO, 2008 guidelines. The WHtR (> 0.5) revealed that prevalence of overweight and central obesity was high in females, (92.6%) than in males (88%) while (90.38%) was for combined gender. The WHtR increased with income, (p = 0.516) and had an influence on ailments such as fatigue and muscle soreness after a day’s work (p=0.657). Factors influencing sedentary lifestyle most of which were outside the workplace setting were: use of motorized transport (73%) which increased with earnings and social economic status p<0.05 with no output for respondents earning less than Kenya shillings 15,000; screen time (64.7%); reliance on house help for domestic chores (56.5%) and occupational (78.4%) with p>0.5 for sitting for office and laboratory workers. The study concluded that there was a high prevalence of sedentary lifestyle among KALRO employees in the selected institutes. These findings provide a basis for management in KALRO to encourage physical activity among its workers by intervening at individual, environmental and policy level.
Keywords: KALRO, Obesity, Prevalence, musculosketal, policies, sedentary