Ebrahim Jemal, Adams Jon, Demant Daniel
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Madda Walabu University, Shashemene, Ethiopia.
Front Psychiatry. 2024 Sep 11;15:1328318. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1328318. eCollection 2024.
The use of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, khat, or drugs among young people is becoming a public health concern globally, with particularly high prevalence rates in low and middle-income settings, where socio-cultural and economic factors contribute to distinct challenges in addressing this problem. This review aimed to summarize the current literature on the prevalence of substance use among young people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and identify gaps in the current body of literature.
Seven databases and Google were searched for studies reporting on substance use prevalence among young people (aged 10-24 years) in SSA, published between January 2010 and May 2024. Observational studies were included, assessed for methodological quality, and checked for the presence of heterogeneity and publication bias using standard methods. A random effect model was used to estimate the pooled proportions for substance use among young people.
The literature search identified 1,889 hits from the databases and Google. Among these 60 eligible studies involving 83,859 respondents were included in the review. The overall lifetime, 12-month, and current prevalence of any substance use among young people in SSA was found to be 21.0% (95% CI= 18.0, 24.0), 18% (95% CI=10,27), and 15% (95% CI=12,18), respectively. Among young people from SSA, alcohol use problem was the most prevalent (40%), followed by khat use (25%), stimulant use (20%), and cigarette smoking (16%). Other substances used by a smaller proportion of young people included cannabis, cocaine, inhalants, sedatives, shisha, hallucinogens, steroids, and mastics. The prevalence of substance use problems was higher among males compared to females, highest in the southern African region followed by Western and Eastern regions, and in community-based studies compared to institutional-based studies.
In SSA, over a fourth of young people use at least one substance in their lifetime, with higher rates among males than females and in community-based compared to institution-based studies. These results emphasize the need for interventions targeting the wider young population and those in specific subgroups identified as being at higher risk of substance use. This approach allows for the provision of tailored support and resources to those who need it most while also promoting positive health outcomes for the entire population of young people in the region.
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022366774, identifier CRD42022366774.
年轻人中酒精、烟草、巧茶或毒品等物质的使用正成为全球公共卫生问题，在低收入和中等收入地区患病率尤其高，其中社会文化和经济因素给解决这一问题带来了独特挑战。本综述旨在总结撒哈拉以南非洲（SSA）年轻人物质使用患病率的现有文献，并找出当前文献中的差距。
检索了七个数据库和谷歌，查找2010年1月至2024年5月发表的关于SSA年轻人（10 - 24岁）物质使用患病率的研究。纳入观察性研究，评估其方法学质量，并使用标准方法检查是否存在异质性和发表偏倚。采用随机效应模型估计年轻人物质使用的合并比例。
文献检索在数据库和谷歌中找到1889条记录。其中60项符合条件的研究纳入综述，涉及83859名受访者。SSA年轻人中任何物质使用的终生患病率、12个月患病率和当前患病率分别为21.0%（95%CI = 18.0, 24.0）、18%（95%CI = 10, 27）和15%（95%CI = 12, 18）。在SSA的年轻人中，酒精使用问题最为普遍（40%），其次是巧茶使用（25%）、兴奋剂使用（20%）和吸烟（16%）。使用比例较小的其他物质包括大麻、可卡因、吸入剂、镇静剂、水烟、致幻剂、类固醇和乳香脂。男性物质使用问题的患病率高于女性，南部非洲地区最高，其次是西部和东部地区，基于社区的研究高于基于机构的研究。
在SSA，超过四分之一的年轻人一生中至少使用过一种物质，男性患病率高于女性，基于社区的研究高于基于机构的研究。这些结果强调需要针对更广泛的年轻人群以及被确定为物质使用风险较高的特定亚组进行干预。这种方法能够为最需要的人提供量身定制的支持和资源，同时也促进该地区全体年轻人的积极健康成果。
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022366774，标识符CRD42022366774 。
