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
The Psycho-Social and Health Effect of Substance Abuse on Lafia Youths (Published)
The psychological, physical and social effect of substance abuse is enormous and can be detrimental to the productive years of a youth. Researches have demonstrated that substance use often lead to negative psychological, physical and social impairment. This study using correlational survey method, analyzed the research with Pearson moment correlation and discovered that in Lafia, the physical health of youths had a negative correlation (r -.11, p<.05), while, it also affected psychological health negatively (r=-.09, p.<05) and a significant negative relationship between social wellbeing (r= -.16, <.05) and substance abuse. it was concluded that substance use negatively affect the physical, psychological and social wellbeing of Lafiay Youths. The research recommended that there should be a serious sensitization among Lafia youths on the negative effects of substance abuse on their psycho-social wellbeing.
Citation: Ebiai A.E., Mgbeanuli, C.C., Audu C. & Okorie, F. (2023) The Psycho-Social and Health Effect of Substance Abuse on Lafia Youths, International Journal of Health and Psychology Research, Vol.11, No.1, pp.1-6,
Keywords: Drug, Substance abuse, Youths, physical health, psycho-social health
Mental Wellbeing among Undergraduates in Eastern Nigeria: A Function of Academic Stress, Substance Abuse and Age (Published)
Predictors of students’ mental wellbeing were studied among 348 undergraduates selected through random cluster sampling from the Faculties of Social Sciences of three higher institutions in Eastern Nigeria. Participants’ ages ranged from 16 to 33 years, with the mean age of 23.15 and a standard deviation of 3.46. Variables considered include academic stress, substance abuse, age and institution type. Descriptive Cross-Sectional Design was employed while Standard Multiple Regression and 2-Way ANOVA were adopted for data collection and analyses respectively. Results revealed that academic stress, substance abuse and age had significant inverse relationship with mental wellbeing. Mental wellbeing and academic stress did not differ across gender, while type of institution influenced academic stress (P< .05). The researchers recommended stronger awareness of the implications of drug use and the re-structuring of academic programmes that can minimize stress. Also, the need for a free functional counseling unit to enable students obtain professional advice that will help promote mental well being was advocated.
Keywords: Academic Stress, Eastern Nigeria, Mental Wellbeing, Substance abuse, Undergraduates
Factors Influencing Substance Abuse amongst Selected Commercial Motorcyclists in Ogbomoso Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria (Published)
Background: The use of motorcycle (Okada) for carrying passengers from me destination to another for commercial purposes has crept into Nigerian’s transportation activities and gradually becoming most popular, possibly because it is faster especially when there is terrible hold ups and can also drop an individual at his door step. Nevertheless, it has added greatly to the incidence of road accidents whereby special Orthopaedic departments are created in Nigerian hospitals to attend to accident victims. The recklessness and misbehaviours of the motorcyclists has been traced to substance abuse. Methodology: A total 207 participants were selected using cross sectional convenience sampling methods having determined the sample size using Yamane sample size determination method. The research adopted descriptive design. The instrument for data collection was designed by the researchers adopting if from the literature review and ESPAD questionnaire descriptive analysis while the hypotheses were tested using inferential analysis of “t” test and ANOVA at 0.05 level of significance on the SPSS version 21 window. Results: Study revealed that the most commonly used drugs include alcohol, cigarettes, palm wine local gin and herbal gin mixtures. These drugs are ready available and are also affordable to them. The result showed that peer influence is the major factors influencing substance abuse among the respondents, followed by recreational purposes and affordable respectively. There was significant difference between married and unmarried commercial motorcyclists on factors influencing substance abuse. Conclusion: It was concluded that period lectures and sensitization programes should be carried out to reduce the accidents associated with misbehaviors amongst motorcyclists as a results of drugs abuse.
Keywords: Factors Influencing, Metropolis, Ogbomoso, Substance abuse, commercial motorcyclists
Factors Influencing Substance Abuse amongst Selected Commercial Motorcyclists in Ogbomoso Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria (Published)
Background: The use of motorcycle (Okada) for carrying passengers from one destination to another for commercial purposes has crept into Nigerian’s transportation activities and gradually becoming most popular, possibly because it is faster especially when there is terrible hold ups and can also drop an individual at his door step. Nevertheless, it has added greatly to the incidence of road accidents whereby special Orthopaedic departments are created in Nigerian hospitals to attend to accident victims. The recklessness and misbehaviours of the motorcyclists has been traced to substance abuse. Methodology: A total of 207 participants were selected using cross sectional convenience sampling methods having determined the sample size using Yamane sample size determination method. The research adopted descriptive design. The instrument for data collection was designed by the researchers adopting if from the literature review and ESPAD questionnaire descriptive analysis while the hypotheses were tested using inferential analysis of “t” test and ANOVA at 0.05 level of significance on the SPSS version 21 window. Results: Study revealed that the most commonly used drugs include alcohol, cigarettes, palm wine local gin and herbal gin mixtures. These drugs are ready available and are also affordable to them. The result showed that peer influence is the major factors influencing substance abuse among the respondents, followed by recreational purposes and affordable respectively. There was significant difference between married and unmarried commercial motorcyclists on factors influencing substance abuse. Conclusion: It was concluded that period lectures and sensitization programes should be carried out to reduce the accidents associated with misbehaviours amongst motorcyclists as a results of drugs abuse
Keywords: Factors Influencing, Metropolis, Ogbomoso, Substance abuse, commercial motorcyclists