National Laboratory of Narcotic and Toxicology (LNST), Beninese Center of Scientific Research and Innovation (Cbrsi), Cotonou, Benin.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin.
Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2022 Sep;131(3):205-213. doi: 10.1111/bcpt.13764. Epub 2022 Jun 27.
The use of psychoactive substances is constantly increasing, particularly among young people. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, associated factors and the level of dependence of those substances among secondary school students in Benin. This cross-sectional study included 627 students in grades 8-12, selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using the ASSIST questionnaire, followed by urine screening. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate factors associated with substance use. Overall, the lifetime prevalence of psychoactive substance use was 95.4% (95% CI = 93.4-96.9), while the current use was 78.8% (95% CI = 75.3-81.9). The most commonly used substances in the past 3 months were alcohol, followed by stimulants and tobacco; 221 samples were analysed. Twenty-two (9.95%) were positive by urine screening. Substances detected were tramadol, fentanyl, THC, K2, BZDs, alcohol, methamphetamine and cotinine. Of the current users, 2.27% (n = 11) were at high risk of dependency. An association was found between substance use and age (p = 0.02). In conclusion, this study came up with a high prevalence of substance use among students. There is a need to develop and implement a health education programme in secondary schools to raise awareness of the potential risks.
精神活性物质的使用不断增加，尤其是在年轻人中。本研究旨在评估贝宁中学生中这些物质的流行率、相关因素和依赖水平。这项横断面研究包括 627 名 8-12 年级的学生，采用多阶段抽样技术选择。使用 ASSIST 问卷收集数据，随后进行尿液筛查。使用逻辑回归分析估计与物质使用相关的因素。总体而言，精神活性物质使用的终生流行率为 95.4%（95%CI=93.4-96.9），而当前使用率为 78.8%（95%CI=75.3-81.9）。过去 3 个月中最常使用的物质是酒精，其次是兴奋剂和烟草；分析了 221 个样本。尿液筛查呈阳性的有 22 例（9.95%）。检测到的物质有曲马多、芬太尼、THC、K2、苯二氮䓬类、酒精、冰毒和可替宁。在当前使用者中，有 2.27%（n=11）存在高度依赖的风险。物质使用与年龄之间存在关联（p=0.02）。总之，这项研究表明学生中存在较高的物质使用流行率。有必要在中学中制定和实施健康教育计划，以提高对潜在风险的认识。
