Prevalence, Pattern and Correlates of Substance Use among Adolescents in selected Public Secondary Schools, in Ado Ekiti, Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: This study sought to determine the prevalence, pattern and factors associated with substance use among adolescents in three secondary schools within Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state, Nigeria.

Methods: The study was a descriptive study conducted in Ado Local Government of Ekiti State.  A total of 249 adolescents were sampled from three secondary schools selected using multistage sampling technique. An adopted questionnaire (ASSIST) developed by the World Health Organization was used in screening adolescents for substance use. Data was analyzed with SPSS version 22, and results presented with texts, tables and figures. Inferential statistics were done using chi square and regression analysis.

Results: One hundred and forty-five (58.2%) of the respondents were males, 123 (49.4%) were between the ages of 14 – 16 years with mean age of 14.40 ± 2.13 years. More than half of the adolescents, 134 (53.8%), were in senior secondary school. Overall prevalence of substance use was 108 (43.4%) while 53 (21.3%) use alcohol. The respondents in school 2 were three times at risk of substance use with AOR of 3.49 and p value of 0.001 while the risk was generally less with those in senior secondary school with AOR of 0.48 and p value of 0.010.

Conclusion: The type of school adolescent attends and the class were highly predictive of exposure to substance use. Health education on substance use should start at an early stage in secondary schools while there should be high index of suspicion to aid timely detection and treatment.