International Journal of Medicine and Health Development (Jan 1999)
Pathoplastic sociodemographic characteristics of psychoactive substance users in an Urban secondary school in Enugu, Nigeria
Abstract
Past studies on the influence sociodemographic factors have on the prevalence of psychoactive substance abuse and as aetiological determinants have yielded conflicting results both within and outside Nigeria. This study was undertaken to find out the pathoplastic influence of sociodemographic variables on substance abuse among secondary school students in an Ubran School in Enugu Nigeria. Most of the students (61.3%) were aged between 10 - 14 years. Parental drug use vis-a vis drug use among students were positively correlated (p ≤ 0.05). Many of the students (83.3%) also identified their parents as the ones who introduced them to drug taking. There was no statistically significant difference between coming from a polygamous home as against monogamous home in the prevalence of drug abuse (p ≥ 0.05). Some students (31.0%) indicated that they took drugs to shake off unhappiness while an equally large number took drugs to be able to keep awake at night, ostensibly to study. The authors stressed the need to identify further aetiological factors in drug abuse so that efforts can be geared towards primary prevention.
