Prevalence And Patterns Of Psycho Active Substance Use Among Senior Secondary School Students

 

Prevalence And Patterns Of Psycho Active Substance Use Among Senior Secondary School Students

 

Abstract

 

The study was designed to determine frequence and patterns of Psychoactive Substance use among elderly Secondary academy scholars in Dala Local Government Area( LGA), Kano State Nigeria. The study espoused a cross sectional descriptive check design. Simple arbitrary slice procedure was used to elect two Secondary seminaries out of the ten Government elderly Secondary academy in Dala LGA, of Kano State. Both seminaries have a combined population of 2293 scholars made up 1202 boys and 1096 girls. The two seminaries sample were Government Secondary academy Kurna Asabe for boys and Government elderly Secondary School Kuka bulukiya for girls. The instrument for Data collection was a WHO Youth Drug Survey( WHOYDSQ) acclimated questionnaire. The trustability of the instrument was established using a testre-test and reckoned using Pearson Moment Correlation. Measure of0.82 was attained. Data generated was subordinated to descriptive statistics and analysed using ki- forecourt. The frequence of psychoactive substance use among Government elderly Secondary academy in Dala LGA, of Kano State shows that maturity(91.1) of the repliers have been using psychoactive substances. The commonest substances used were kola nut(87.4), tobacco( 15) and cannabis(5.5). further than half of the druggies of each of the substances take it sometimes, using them on one to five days in a month except kolanut taken on twenty or further days in a month. They include manly(52.9), womanish(47.1). Majority(68.1) of the repliers were between 18- 20 times. utmost of the repliers who use psychoactive substances were introduced by their musketeers(60.6), family(27.6) and by nothing(5.7). utmost(27.9) first use kolanut at the age lower than 10 times, alcoholic potables at the age of 11- 12 times(25.6) while others like tobacco, cannabis at 19- and above times(38.3). Major reasons for using psychoactive substance include to be sociable(25.4) and for enjoyment(24.4). There was significant difference( p<0.05) between Males and ladies in psychoactive substance use. The pattern of use is dependent on the type of psychoactive substances( p<0.05). Also the psychoactive substances use grounded on continuance use is dependent on the age at first use( p<0.05). In conclusion the frequence of substance abuse among elderly Secondary academy scholars is high as similar Government, Parents and preceptors needs to common hands and address the problems.

 

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Chapter One

 

Preface

 

Background to the Study

 

Psychoactive Substance use and dependence beget a significant burden to the individualities and societies throughout the world. The World Health Report( 2010) indicated that8.9 of the total burden of complaint comes from the use of psychoactive substances. The report showed that tobacco reckoned for4.1, alcohol 4, and lawless medicines0.8 of the burden of complaint in 2010. important of the burden attributable to substance use and dependence is the result of a wide variety of health and social problems. Data from the( World Health Organization, 2011) show large- scale seizures of cocaine, heroin, cannabis and amphetamine- type instigations in different corridor of the world. Vacuity of cocaine, heroin and cannabis depends on the position of civilization in source countries and on the success or failure of trafficking associations. still, indeed with increased situations of law enforcement conditioning, there always seems to be enough available to druggies. According to( UNODC, 2011) estimates show that about 200 million people make lawless use of one type of lawless substance or another.

 

Psychoactive substance use is a social problem that has spread and increased fleetly in educational institutions especially among secondary academy scholars( Neeraja, 2011). This social problem is considered an issue of serious concern as it negatively affects the lives and performance of scholars involved as well as the harmonious functioning of the entire structure of the society. Use of psychoactive medicines and other associated problems are inimical to the survival and effective functioning of mortal societies. A significant number of early deaths and accidents have been linked to the conditioning of persons under the influence of one psychoactive medicine or the other( Shelly, 2010).

 

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medicine abuse is viewed by different authorities in colorful forms. Neeraja( 2011) defined substance abuse as the dependence on a medicine or other chemical substances leading to the effect that are mischievous to the existent’s physical and internal health or the weal of others. According to Smelzer, Bare, Hinkle, and Cheever( 2008) substance abuse is a maladaptive pattern of medicine use that causes physical and emotional detriment with the eventuality for dislocation of diurnal life. From these delineations, it can be derived that substance abuse is the abuse of one or further medicines which could be specified by a health guru with the intention to alter the way one feels, thinks or behaves and it’s associated with consequences which include physical and emotional detriment to the person.

 

The African Symposium( 2010) viewed substance abuse as the indecorous use or operation of medicines by a person without proper knowledge of the medicines and without due tradition from a good medical guru. This description focuses on psychoactive medicines. All medicines can be abused to an extent that it turns into dependence when the medicine stoner is unfit to stop the use of the medicines despite the dangerous goods on the stoner’s social, particular and profitable lives. The problem of substance abuse is so grave that though it was firstly conceived as the problem of a ‘ select many ’, it has extended beyond the usual characteristics of abusers being males, grown-ups and civic based people, to now include ladies, youths and pastoral residers( Rocha, 2009). These abusers inaptly believe that medicines enhance their performance, put them in good mood etc. The coexisting problems of this act constitute a major trouble to the well- being of the society( Ajala, 2009).

 

The youths in Nigeria like numerous countries of the world are decreasingly developing dependence to psychoactive substances. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency( NDLEA, 2011) collected medicines use and abuse data from seminaries, records of cases admitted at internal health institutions for medicine problems and interview of persons arrested for medicine offences. The result

 

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showed that youths constitute the high threat group for medicine trafficking and abuse. musketeers and academy mates regard for about 90 of the source of influence of the use and abuse of colorful psychoactive substances. In Nigeria, alcohol and cigarette are legal substances but, the two have been discovered to beget physical damage to mortal bodies. It has been reported that smoking tobacco causes90.0 of lung cancer,30.0 of all cancers, and80.0 of other habitual lung conditions( trade 2008). piecemeal from these health counteraccusations , according to Stephen( 2010), alcohol and cigarette are said to be “ gatew ay medicines ” to other more potent psychoactive medicines like marijuana, heroin and cocaine.

 

The future of any community, society, state or nation is tied to the character of the adolescent in that particular place, area or position. It’s also said that “ The youth are the leaders of hereafter ”. thus responsible youth in the socie ty indicates responsible and brighter future of that society and also the reverse is the case.

 

In our society people are known to have had problems that had made them to borrow colorful measures to manage with similar problems and live successfully within the confines of societal normative values. While some people take solace in legal ways others resort to unlawful and unhealthy measures similar as the use of medicines or psychoactive substances to the extent of abusing them, hence performing in dependence . According to Edum( 2006) the adolescent in our society aren’t left out in this, as they’re either told by peer group while others do so because of the easy vacuity of the abused substances, others also watch on TV and flicks and some read in books and so try to experiment to experience the goods. The goods of specific psychoactive substance vary depending on their medium of action, the quantum consumed and the history of the stoner among other factors.

 

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An unattractive fact that’s with us in the recent time is road business accident related to psychoactive substance use as well as increased crime rate in Nigeria, though a number of measures are put in place to check this imminence. This includes the establishment of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency( NDLEA) through Degree 48 of 1989 and 33 of 1990. still, in malignancy of these measures people especially the adolescents continue to use psychoactive medicines illicitly with its attendant problems.

 

Kano state is the most populated state in Northern Nigeria( NPC, 2006). The use of psychoactive Substance in this state is the order of the day, substantiation by increase in crimes of different nature, failure at examination, abandoning academy and poor performance in all aspects of lifeetc.

 

Dala original government is the largest, most populated original government Area of Kano State. One myth about the youth and adolescents in Dala original government is medicine and substance use putatively shown by increase in crime, abandoning and inconsistencies in academy, as well as failure in examination. These reasons encouraged and motivated the desire to probe the frequence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among the elderly government secondary academy scholars of the largest original government area in the middle of Kano City, Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria.

 

Statement of the Problem

 

Substance use isn’t a strange miracle; the global, indigenous and public dimension of it are proved. It’s in recognition of the complexity of the problem that 26th June of every time has been declared as the International Day Against Abuse and lawless trafficking by United Nations. In its June, 2003 report, the United Nations Children and Education Fund

 

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UNICEF) stated that the problem of HIV/ AIDS is inextricably connected to a range of problems, among which is medicine abuse among children and youthful people. also, the United Nations Office on medicines and Crime( UNODC) refocused out that medicine abuse among “ area boys ” in Nigeria has been reported as the cau se of tardy behaviours and crime.

 

The World Health Organization( WHO, 2010) believes that youthful people are more vulnerable to suffering physical, emotional and social detriment from their own or other people’s medicine use. It also identifies strong links between the high rate of drinking, violent sexual geste , business and other accidents and medicine use. In relation to tobacco, World Health Organization also estimates that about 250 million children and adolescents who live in developing countries like Nigeria are likely to be killed by tobacco( Stephen, 2010).

 

The United Nations office on medicine and Crime( UNODC) incompletely attributes the frequence of medicine use in Nigeria to road peddling of medicines and pharmaceutical medication. The frequence rate of adolescent’s substance and medicine abuse in our society poses a great concern to health care providers as some end up as addicts. This is relatively substantial in Kano state. According to NDLEA( 2010) reports, Kano State is the loftiest in terms of people arrested with the case of medicine trafficking ’ and suspected medicine addicts( 638 arrested suspects) followed by Katsina( 411) and Rivers( 347)etc.

 

According to NDLEA( 2010) utmost of the people arrested in Kano state for medicine addicts and trafficking are from Dala original government and bordering communities and maturity constitutes secondary academy drop outs. thus grounded on the anteceding reasons, the experimenter supposed it necessary to determine the frequence and patterns of psychoactive substance use among the elderly secondary academy scholars in Dala LGA, Kano State Nigeria.

 

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Purpose of the Study

 

The main purpose of the study is to determine the frequence and pattern of psychoactive substance use among Government elderly secondary academy scholars in Dala LGA of Kano State, Nigeria.

Objects.

 

The Specific objects are to

 

1. Identify the characteristics of scholars who use linked substances

 

2. Establish the frequence of substance use among the elderly secondary academy scholars in Dala Local Government.

 

3. Identify the patterns of substance use among the elderly secondary scholars.

 

4. Identify the substances generally used by the elderly Secondary scholars

 

5. Identify the sources of influence of medicine use among secondary academy scholars

 

6. Determine the age of onset of substance use among secondary academy pupil

 

7. Identify the reasons why elderly secondary academy scholars use medicines

 

Exploration Questions

 

1. What are the characteristics of scholars who abuse medicines?

 

2. What’s the frequence rate of psychoactive substance use among the elderly secondary academy scholars in Dala Local Government, Kano State?

 

3. What are the patterns of substance use among elderly secondary academy scholars?

 

4. What are the substances generally used by the elderly secondary academy scholars?

 

5. What are the sources of influence of medicine use among elderly secondary academy in Dala?

 

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6. What’s the age of onset of substance use among secondary academy pupil in Dala original government?

 

7. What are the reasons elderly secondary academy scholars used medicines?

 

thesis

 

1. There’s no significant difference between manly and womanish in secondary academy in medicine abuse.

 

2. There’s no significant difference in pattern of medicine abuse in days per month grounded on Psychoactive Substances

 

3. There’s no significant relationship of repliers age range at the first use grounded on life time use of psychoactive

 

Significance of the Study

 

The present study will reveal the frequence, pattern, types and sources of psychoactive substances used by secondary academy children. It’ll also reveal the characteristics of the scholars who use medicines and the problems scholars encounter as a result of medicine use. These findings are essential as they will help in understanding the overall social, academic and medicine problems of the scholars and youth in Kano state.

 

This finding would be useful to the parents, preceptors, police and the medicine law enforcement agency( NDLEA) as well as other bodies concerned with checking medicine abuse problems in Dala LGA of Kano state and Nigeria at large. The findings will give a source of reference for intervention programmes in Kano state.

 

It’s also hoped that the findings of this st

 

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