Prevalence and Patterns of Psycho Active Substance Use Among Senior Secondary School Students in Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives Of Study
The Specific Objectives are to
- Identify the characteristics of students who use identified substances
- Establish the prevalence of substance use among the senior secondary school students in Dala Local
- Identify the patterns of substance use among the senior secondary
- Identify the substances commonly used by the Senior Secondary students
- Identify the sources of influence of drug use among secondary school Students
- Determine the age of onset of substance use among secondary school student
- Identify the reasons why senior secondary school students use drugs
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This chapter presents review of literature in the following areas, conceptual review, theoretical review and empirical studies of Adolescent, specific psychoactive substances and problems associated with their use.
Conceptual Review
Certain Concepts would be reviewed such as psychoactive substance, causes of abuse, effect of abuse on individual and community at large, treatment modalities and low and policy of drug abuse in Nigeria.
Concept of Psychoactive Substance
Throughout history many cultures have found ways to alter consciousness through the ingestion of substances. In current professional practice, psychoactive substances known as psychotropic drugs have been developed to treat patients with severe mental illness. Psychoactive substances exert their effects by modifying biochemical or physiological processes in the brain. The message system of nerve cells, or neurons, relies on both electrical and chemical transmissions. Neurons rarely touch each other; the microscopic gap between one neuron and the next, called the synapse, is bridged by chemicals called neuroregulators, or neurotransmitters.
According to Psychology Dictionary (2002) psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that affect the brain functioning, causing changes in behavior, mood and consciousness. Psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that alter mood, behavior, perception, or mental functioning. Psychoactive drugs act by altering neurotransmitter function. The drugs can be divided into six major pharmacological classes based on their desired behavioral or psychological effect: alcohol, sedative-hypnotics, narcotic analgesics, stimulant-euphoriants, hallucinogens, and psychotropic agents.
A psychoactive drug, psychopharmaceutical, or psychotropic is a chemical substance that crosses the blood–brain barrier and acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it affects brain function, resulting in alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behaviour. These substances may be used recreationally, to purposefully alter one’s consciousness, or as entheogens, for ritual, spiritual, and/or shamanic purposes, as a tool for studying or augmenting the mind. Many psychoactive drugs have therapeutic utility, e.g., as anesthetics, analgesics, or for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Psychoactive substances often bring about subjective changes in consciousness and mood that the user may find pleasant (e.g. euphoria) or advantageous (e.g. increased alertness) and are thus reinforcing. Thus, many psychoactive substances are abused, that is used excessively, despite health risks or negative consequences with sustained use of some of the substances
Alcohol has always been the most widely used psychoactive substance. In most countries it is the only psychoactive drug legally available without prescription. Pleasant relaxation is commonly the desired effect, but intoxication impairs judgment and motor performance. When used chronically, alcohol can be toxic to liver and brain cells and can be physiologically addicting, producing dangerous withdrawal syndromes (Berger and Philip, 2009)
Sedative-hypnotics, such as the barbiturates and diazepam (widely known under the brand name Valium), include brain depressants, which are used medically to help people sleep (sleeping pills), and antianxiety agents, which are used to calm people without inducing sleep. Sedative-hypnotics are used illegally to produce relaxation, tranquility, and euphoria. Overdoses of sedative-hypnotics can be fatal; all can be physiologically addicting, and some can cause a life-threatening withdrawal syndrome. Narcotic analgesics—opiate (Opium) such as morphine and heroin—are prescribed to produce analgesia. Because the relief of pain is one of the primary tasks of medical treatment, opiates have been among the most important and valuable drugs in medicine. Illegal use of narcotic analgesics involves injecting these substances, particularly heroin, into the veins to produce euphoria. Opiates are physiologically addicting and can produce a quite unpleasant withdrawal syndrome.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHOD
Introduction
This chapter describes the design of the study, the area of the study, population of the study, sample and sampling procedure, instrument for data collection, validity and reliability of instrument, ethical consideration and procedure for data collection and method of data analysis.
Research Design
The study adopted a cross sectional descriptive design and describes the prevalence and patterns of substance use among Government senior secondary schools students in Dala local government area of Kano State. This design was chosen because Fajonmi (2003) says that survey is used for descriptive, explanatory and exploratory purposes, and of course this survey is descriptive in nature and therefore is more appropriate for this study. However cross sectional descriptive design is considered appropriate because it allows for collection of data from a group of people at the same time for the purpose of describing phenomena under study. Descriptive study also allows the investigator to discuss the phenomenon under study as it exists at the time of study.
Area of Study
The study was carried out in Dala LGA in Kano city in Northern Nigeria. Kano city is the capital of Kano State. In ancient times, Kano is a powerful city of the Hausa people and a very important city in West African Savannah for centuries
Kano is a densely populated old city and is surrounded by a well-preserved 22-km long wall dating from the 13th century. The old city contains the 16th century Kurmi Market, the traditional palace of Kano’s emir, newer commercial, industrial and residential districts are located to the east and northeast of the old city.
Kano is the center of a prosperous, densely populated agricultural region in which millet, sorghum, peanuts, and beans are produced. It is an important market center for peanuts, livestock, grains, and other foodstuffs from the surrounding area. Kano is one of Nigeria’s leading industrial centers, tanning; oilseed processing, meatpacking, and the production of furniture and enamelware are long-established industries. Newer factories produce textiles, flour, pesticides, farm machinery, and various consumer goods. The city is also known for its handcraft industries, including the production of morocco leather, metalworking, and the weaving and dyeing of cloth. The city is well connected by road and rail with other parts of Nigeria, and it has a major international airport. Bayero University (1977) and Kano State Polytechnic (1976) are located in Kano. The city also has major air force and army bases, and it is home to the Nigerian Police Academy.
Settlement at Dala dates from the 7th century and is the initial origin of Kano, by which time Hausa peoples of the area were smelting iron. Dala was founded in the 10th century as one of the seven original Hausa city-states. Kano was a major terminus of trans-Saharan trade caravans, and the city became a dominant political center of the West African savannah. The Kano area was taken by the Fulani in the 19th century and held by them until 1903, when it was seized by the British.
Dala Local Government is the largest Local Government in terms of population in Kano State with 448,777 numbers of people (National population census 2006). It is in the centre of ancient city of Kano. Dala Local Government was created in 1989 as a local government.
Majority of the people in the local government are business men. Dala local Government has 24 secondary schools both junior and senior schools 10 are senior and junior secondary while 14 are junior secondary schools only, one renowned boarding Girls secondary school and fourteen junior secondary school across the local government. (See appendix).
Population for Study
The target populations for this study are all Government Senior Secondary School Students in Dala Local Government area of Kano State. Dala is selected because it is the oldest local government in the centre of Kano metropolitan and also it is the largest in terms of population. The population consists of both boys and girls in senior secondary schools. There are ten senior secondary schools and fourteen junior secondary school in the local government, according to the department of planning and statistics of Dala zonal office (2010). The total populations of all senior secondary students in all ten senior secondary schools in Dala are 11045.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Two thousand two hundred and ninety-eight (2298) questionnaires were distributed. One thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven (1957) of the questionnaires were analyzed, while three hundred and forty-one(341) were not properly filled. This gave a response rate of 85.2%.
Result on Table 1 Shows That male respondents were 1036 (52.9%), while the female were 921 (47.1%). Their age ranges between 15- 23 years with a mean age of 19.3 ± 1.5 years. Majority 1333 (68.1%) of the respondents were 18-20 years. Respondents in SS1, SS2 and SS3 constituted 528(27.0%), 644(32.9%) and 785(40.1%) respectively, while 1036(52.9%) of them were from School A and 921(47.1%) were from School B. Majority of the respondents 1563 (79.9%) lived with their parents/ other relatives, while only 394 (20.1%) lived with their friends. Most of the respondents 632(32.3%) had their fathers highest educational level as Secondary or High School and 574 (29.3%) as University or other Post Secondary School education. Only 484(24.7%) of them had their fathers with no formal schooling, while 33(1.7%) of them did not know their father’s highest educational level. Also, majority of the respondents 1035(52.9%) mother highest educational level as Secondary or High School but 489(25.0%) of them had their mother with no formal schooling, while 33(1.8%) of them did not know their mother’s highest educational level.
CHAPTER FIVE
This chapter presents the discussion of the major findings, implication of major findings, limitation of the study, summary of the study, conclusion, recommendations and suggestion for further studies.
Discussion of Major Findings
The major findings from the study were discussed with respect to the specific objectives, research questions and hypothesis set for the study in relation to findings from previous related studies. The discussion was done under research questions for better understanding.
Conclusion
The Study has established Prevalence and the Patterns of Psychoactive Substance use among Senior Secondary School Students in Dala Local Govt. Area Kano State. Two schools were used one for males and the other for females respectively.
The study has also revealed that psychoactive substance commonly used by student include kolanuts, cigarette, marijuana, rubber solution and alcohol. The finding reveals that most of the respondents were influence by friends and some relatives and their major reasons in indulging in drug abuse is to be sociable and some for enjoyment. Oral and Sniffing were the two major route used by the respondents.
The study further shows that, it is difficult for the respondent to get most of the abused drug and they never approved people of less than 18 years to abuse drugs.
Limitation of the Study
The study was delimited to government secondary schools Dala only. It could not be extended to other private institutions due to time constraints and limited resources.
Recommendation
- There should be education of parents on adjustment process of their children
- Also political, religious and traditional leaders need to be involved in educating the public against this
- There is also need for an intervention by the government and non government organizations on preventive strategies of drug abuse. Government should ensure the enforcement of anti psychoactive substance Government should be encouraged to established drug treatment centre in our hospitals. Also more health worker should be trained on how to identify addicts, prevent and treat victims of drug abuse and also to educate the public
- The media should continue to give publicity on psychoactive substance use and its consequences.
- Family should be encouraged to monitor the behavior of their children especially adolescent one. Also there should be collaboration between teachers and parents on monitoring strategies of the secondary school student both at home and in
Suggestion for further study
Based on the findings from the study, the researcher hereby suggests that further research be made on the:
. Prevalence and patterns of substance abuse in other local government across the state
. Prevalence and patterns of substance abuse in private schools in the state
. Prevalence and patterns of substance abuse in tertiary institutions in the state
. Prevalence and patterns of substance abuse in private schools in other states in Nigeria.
REFERENCES
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- Awake!. (2005). Alcohol misuse and health-the drinking trap: are you at risk? New York: Watchtowers Bible and Tract Society.
- American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
- Anderson, R., & Gittler, J. (2005). Unmet Need For Community-Based Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Among Rural Adolescents. Community Mental Health Journal, 41(1), 35-49. Retrieved March 25, 2014, from Academic Search
- Agwogie, M.O. (2010). An investigation into the Nature and predisposing factors related to drug Abuse in Kano and Lagos State. Unpublished M.ED. Thesis A.B.U. Zaria
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