International Journal of Healthcare Sciences ISSN 2348-5728 (Online) Vol. 10, Issue 1, pp: (70-83), Month: April 2022 - September 2022, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Assessment of High School Adolescents’ Perception of Psychoactive Substance Use in Selected Schools in Ogun State, Nigeria Atulomah, N. O1., Agbede, C2, Panuel-Egwakhe, C3 1,2,3
Department of Public Health
School of Public and Allied Health, Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6628019
Published Date: 09-June-2022
Abstract: Psychoactive substance-use (PSU) or abuse has always constituted a global social and health challenge. Quasi-experimental research design was used with three experimental groups and ninety high school students were purposively selected from three high schools in Ogun State, Nigeria. Data were gathered through a validated questionnaire with Cronbach’s alpha reliability score of 0.75. Findings revealed that between baseline and immediate post intervention, a significant difference (p < 0.05) in overall perception across the intervention groups (Grp1: t29 =-2.027; Grp2: t29 =-2.462) was observed, but there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in perception for Grp 3 (Control) (Grp3: t29 = -0.036) respectively. Between baseline and at 4th week follow-up, significant difference (p < 0.05) was seen in overall perception for Grp1 (t29 = -6.754) and Grp2 (t29 = -9.473), but no significant difference (p > 0.5) was observed for Grp3 (t29 = -1.036). The effect of changes produced by the intervention program given to Grp2 was more effective (Effect size: 2.32) than for Grp1 (Effect size = 1.85) in increasing adolescents’ perception to refuse psychoactive substance use. The study concludes that health education intervention programs do not only affect adolescents’ perception of PSU but becomes more effective when motivational counseling is added. It was recommended that motivational counseling be incorporated into health education programs at high schools or in drug awareness clubs at high schools. Keywords: Psychoactive substance, drug perception, adolescent, motivational counseling, psychocognitive intervention, health education.
1. INTRODUCTION The abuse of psychoactive substances is a global public health problem, which hinders social and economic development of a person and the nation. The practice compromises and truncates life, health, dignity and security of individuals, communities, and nations [1], [2]. The type and pattern of psychoactive substance use depend on regional and geographic variation [3] and drug trafficking plays a significant role in providing access and distribution of psychoactive substances that has created a menace in every community in the world today. In addition, [4] discovered that overall, 15.5% of adolescents from a nationally represented sample of 13–15-year-olds from seven African countries (Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe) started smoking before they were 14; 20.1% among the boys and 10.9% among the girls. Moreover, those who smoked were four times more likely to have used alcohol or twice more likely to have ever used drugs. A study by [5] among 4078 adolescents across Nigeria revealed the depth, prevalence, and pattern of psychoactive substance use among secondary schools across all geo-political zones: 33.6% reported to have drank alcohol while 13.1% have experienced getting drunk; 7.5% have used cannabis, 5.1% have smoked at least once in their life while 11.6% also reported to have used all other drugs. In Abeokuta, [6] found that the prevalence of psychoactive substances, specifically
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