Oshodi O Y, Aina O F, Onajole A T
Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Nigeria.
Afr J Psychiatry (Johannesbg). 2010 Mar;13(1):52-7. doi: 10.4314/ajpsy.v13i1.53430.
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.
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.
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).
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.
物质使用仍是青少年中的主要风险行为，会导致身体和/或心理健康问题。本研究旨在确定拉各斯部分中学生物质使用的患病率及相关因素。
这是一项针对拉各斯部分中学生的横断面描述性研究。已获得相关学校当局的许可，并征得每位参与者的同意。使用先前在该国验证过的世界卫生组织学生药物使用问卷从受试者那里获取药物使用信息。数据使用Epi-info 5版本进行分析。
共研究了402名学生，其中43.5%（n = 175）为男性，56.5%（n = 227）为女性。平均年龄为15.9岁。83.1%（n = 334）与父母同住，7.6%（n = 31）与亲属同住，7.2%（n = 29）与朋友同住。受试者使用最普遍的物质是咖啡因（可乐果和咖啡）、轻度镇痛药（对乙酰氨基酚和阿司匹林）以及抗疟药，尤其是氯喹，终生使用率分别为85.7%、73.8%和65.7%。总体而言，这些物质的终生使用率从海洛因和可卡因的3.8%（n = 14）到精神兴奋剂的85.7%（n = 344）不等；当前使用率从2%（n = 8）到56.5%（n = 213）不等。对于所谓的“入门毒品”：酒精和烟草，其终生使用率分别为9.2%（n = 34）和5.2%（n = 19），而大麻的终生使用率为4.4%（n = 16）。在性别方面，除抗生素、镇痛药、海洛因和可卡因外，男性的使用率普遍高于女性。使用物质的原因包括缓解压力，占43.5%（n = 175），自我治疗疾病，占23.8%（n = 96），以及为了晚上熬夜学习，占14.9%（n = 60）。
本研究发现物质使用在学生中很普遍，涉及非处方药和社会可接受的物质以及非法物质的滥用。主张有必要审查现有的健康教育计划。
