Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria

Substance Abuse among youths is a major public health challenge globally. Complications associated with drug abuse include psychiatric disorders, sexual violence, drug dependence and criminal tendencies. The study set out to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics associated w...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: N.E. Uwaibi, E.S. Omozuwa, G.E. Agbonrofo-Eboigbe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Joint Coordination Centre of the World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP) 2022-05-01
Series:Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
Online Access:https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/224775
_version_ 1797228242056249344
author N.E. Uwaibi
E.S. Omozuwa
G.E. Agbonrofo-Eboigbe
author_facet N.E. Uwaibi
E.S. Omozuwa
G.E. Agbonrofo-Eboigbe
author_sort N.E. Uwaibi
collection DOAJ
description Substance Abuse among youths is a major public health challenge globally. Complications associated with drug abuse include psychiatric disorders, sexual violence, drug dependence and criminal tendencies. The study set out to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics associated with Substance abuse among the young in Edo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study design and multi-stage sampling technique was used with a structured interviewer administered questionnaire among 412 study respondents who gave informed consent. All relevant data such as socio-demographic information, substance abuse was collected and analyzed using SPSS 23. The mean age (SD) of the study subjects was 19.03(3.09) years. The age group with the highest use of drugs was 19-22 years. Among drug abusers, male subjects (10.8%) had a higher rate of substance use compared to females (6.2%). In all, 29(8.3%) of the respondents satisfied the criteria for defining substance abuse. Cannabis was the most named substance abused accounting for 86 (20.9%) followed by alcohol and tramadol respectively (19.7% and 11.2%). Alcohol was the most commonly abused substance accounting for 17(58.6%). This was closely followed by Tramadol 41.4%. 52.4% of the respondents had no knowledge about the definition of substance abuse. About 32.3% of the subjects got information about Substance abuse from friends. The commonest reason for illegal drug use was peer influence which accounted for 50% of the respondents. Majority of the substance abusers (62.5%) who continued to abuse drugs did so because of the euphoric feeling they got from its use. Alcohol is still the most commonly abused substance among young persons in our environment as shown in this study and all effort be made the relevance authorities to control the illicit use of this substance in our society.
first_indexed 2024-04-24T14:53:35Z
format Article
id doaj.art-87f892ff508149b99e80bd2776fd1bb3
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2659-1502
2659-1499
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-24T14:53:35Z
publishDate 2022-05-01
publisher Joint Coordination Centre of the World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP)
record_format Article
series Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
spelling doaj.art-87f892ff508149b99e80bd2776fd1bb32024-04-02T19:47:03ZengJoint Coordination Centre of the World Bank assisted National Agricultural Research Programme (NARP)Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management2659-15022659-14992022-05-0126210.4314/jasem.v26i2.26Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, NigeriaN.E. UwaibiE.S. OmozuwaG.E. Agbonrofo-Eboigbe Substance Abuse among youths is a major public health challenge globally. Complications associated with drug abuse include psychiatric disorders, sexual violence, drug dependence and criminal tendencies. The study set out to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic characteristics associated with Substance abuse among the young in Edo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study design and multi-stage sampling technique was used with a structured interviewer administered questionnaire among 412 study respondents who gave informed consent. All relevant data such as socio-demographic information, substance abuse was collected and analyzed using SPSS 23. The mean age (SD) of the study subjects was 19.03(3.09) years. The age group with the highest use of drugs was 19-22 years. Among drug abusers, male subjects (10.8%) had a higher rate of substance use compared to females (6.2%). In all, 29(8.3%) of the respondents satisfied the criteria for defining substance abuse. Cannabis was the most named substance abused accounting for 86 (20.9%) followed by alcohol and tramadol respectively (19.7% and 11.2%). Alcohol was the most commonly abused substance accounting for 17(58.6%). This was closely followed by Tramadol 41.4%. 52.4% of the respondents had no knowledge about the definition of substance abuse. About 32.3% of the subjects got information about Substance abuse from friends. The commonest reason for illegal drug use was peer influence which accounted for 50% of the respondents. Majority of the substance abusers (62.5%) who continued to abuse drugs did so because of the euphoric feeling they got from its use. Alcohol is still the most commonly abused substance among young persons in our environment as shown in this study and all effort be made the relevance authorities to control the illicit use of this substance in our society. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/224775
spellingShingle N.E. Uwaibi
E.S. Omozuwa
G.E. Agbonrofo-Eboigbe
Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
title Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria
title_full Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria
title_fullStr Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria
title_short Prevalence, Sociodemograhic Characteristics and Substance Abuse among Young Persons in Edo State, Nigeria
title_sort prevalence sociodemograhic characteristics and substance abuse among young persons in edo state nigeria
url https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jasem/article/view/224775
work_keys_str_mv AT neuwaibi prevalencesociodemograhiccharacteristicsandsubstanceabuseamongyoungpersonsinedostatenigeria
AT esomozuwa prevalencesociodemograhiccharacteristicsandsubstanceabuseamongyoungpersonsinedostatenigeria
AT geagbonrofoeboigbe prevalencesociodemograhiccharacteristicsandsubstanceabuseamongyoungpersonsinedostatenigeria