PSYCHOSOCIAL CORRELATES OF SUBSTANCE USE AMONGST SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the psychosocial correlates of substance use among secondary
school students in rural and urban communities in South Western Nigerian.
Design: A cross-sectional survey of secondary school students using questionnaire
eliciting substance use by students (WHO drug use questionnaire) and a well designed
questionnaire on psychosocial variables.
Setting: Six secondary schools selected from two local government areas in Ilesa, Osun
State, South Western Nigeria.
Subjects: The study population comprised of 600 randomly selected senior secondary
school students from six schools.
Results: A total of 662 questionnaires were analysed. Current stimulant use was,
significantly associated with lower socio-economic status, coming from 2 polygamous
family arid self rated poor academic performance. Current alcohol use was associated
with being a male, polygamous family background, living alone or with friends, not
being religious arid self rated poor academic performance. Current hypnosedatives use
was commoner in students living alone or. with friends and in those with self rated
poor academic performance. There was also significant positive relationship between
current tobacco use and the male sex, not being religious and self rated poor academic
Lifetime use of these substances had similar association with the psychosocial variables
with slight differences.
Conclusion: The similarity between the psychosocial correlates highlighted in this study
and those reported in Previous studies from other- parts of Nigeria makes these
observations useful enough for the planning of preventive strategies.