Abstract
The purpose of the study was to determine the demographic characteristics of out-of-school adolescent substance abusers in Aba South L.G.A, Abia State. To achieve this purpose, eight research questions were formulated and null hypotheses postulated and tested for significance of
.05 level. Quantitative data were collected from 343 out-of-school adolescent substance abusers.
The data collected were analyzed using frequency distribution percentages and means to answer the research questions while chi-square, ANOVA and t-Test was used to test the hypotheses. Results of the study revealed that majority of out-of-school adolescents took panadol, beer, coffee and one-third indicated they took white gin, cigarette, cocaine, heron, snoff, opion, glue and paint. Out-of-school adolescents abused substance to some extent ( = 2.0). Also, results indicated that majority of male out-of-school adolescents consumed substance more than their female counterparts. The adolescents with no formal education, primary and secondary education consumed substance more than the adolescents with tertiary education. Furthermore, the result showed that prevalence of substance abuse was higher in out-of-school adolescent conductors, drivers and hawkers than in adolescent apprentices, traders and civil servants respectively. In reference to differentials in substance abuse of out-of-school adolescents no significant difference was found based on occupation. However, a significant difference was found in substance abuse of out-of-school adolescents based on gender, age, educational level and religion affiliation. Based on the findings, conclusions were drawn and it was recommended among others that parents and health educators should work in collaboration with the ministries of health and education to educate the children and adolescents about drug use, abuse and its effects.
Background to the study
CHAPTER ONE Introduction
Since the early times, leaves and plants have been used to heal and control diseases. The use of drugs does not constitute any danger, because drugs correctly administered have been a blessing. Sambo (2008) viewed that “chronic use of substance can cause serious, sometimes irreversible damage to adolescent’s physical and psychological development. The use of substance could be beneficial or harmful depending on the mode of use.
Substance as applied in drug use refers to drug that could bring about a change in the biological function through its actions (Okoye, 2001). It is considered as a chemical that modifies perceptions, cognition, mood, behaviour and general body function (Balo-gun, 2006). Substance could thus be considered as chemical modifiers of the living tissues that could bring about physiological and behavioural changes (Nnachi, 2007).
Substance abuse is a major public health problem all over the world (UNODC, 2005). The use and abuse of substances by adolescents have become one of the most disturbing health related phenomena in Nigeria and other parts of the world (NDLEA, 1997). Substance abuse is now one of the frequently occurring adjustment disorders in adolescents, young adults and general population. In fact, substance use disorders are the most prevalent form of psychiatric disorder in the United States (Rivers & Shore, 2002). Although all age groups are affected by this pervasive difficulty, adolescents and young adults are particularly affected. There were over
9,000 admissions for substance abuse related primary diagnosis out of 9,371 patients at US Acute Care Hospitals in the year 2000 (Chisom & Keller, 2006). Johnson, Bachman and O’malley (2003) found that 93 percent of those survived among over 6000 senior secondary schools had tried alcohol at least once in their lives. Furthermore, an estimated 20 percent of the total yearly cost of health care in the United State is spent on the effects of drug and alcohol use (Detweiler, 2008).
Substance abuse is a serious problem across all lines of race, culture, educational and socio-economic status, leaving no group untouched with its devastating effects. Nigeria is not excluded. A substantial proportion of the adolescent population use drugs or alcohol to the extent that their health and inter-personal relationship are adversely affected (Johnson, Bachman & O’malley, 2003). Violence involvement accounts as one of the risk factors for substance abuse (Scal, Ireland & Borom, 2003). In Nigeria there is now high rate of violence all over the states
and Abia State particularly has remained a state with high rate of kidnapping since 2010 resulting to loss of lifes, decline in business and even health. This may be connected with substance abuse.
Substance abuse is the improper use of drugs to the degree that the consequences are defined as detrimental to the society, (Robber, Igbo & Amigwom, 2002). It is a pattern of behaviour that displays many adverse results from continue use of a substance. Okoroije (2000) defined substance abuse as the use of drugs for personal satisfaction and comfort, to a feeling of well being. Those substance of abuse may have been obtained on the street for medication purposes or prescribed by fraudulent means. NAFDAC (2000) as cited by Haladu (2003) explained the term substance abuse as excessive and persistent self-administration of a drug without regard to the medically or culturally accepted patterns. It could also be viewed as the use of a drug to the extent that it interferes with the health and social function of an individual. World Book Encyclopedia (2004) defined substance abuse as the non-medical use of a drug that interferes with a healthy and productive life. In this present study, the definition of substance abuse made by Robber, Igbo and Amigwom, (2002) was adopted as the operational definition, that is the improper use of drugs to the degree that the consequences are defined as detrimental to the society.
Substance that are abused according to Briggs (2000) have been classified into stimulants, hallucinogen, narcotics, tobacco, caffeine and sedatives. Saadatu (2006) pointed out drugs that are mostly abused to include Indian hemp, alcohol and amphetamine, (may be mixed with ribbon blue).
Substance abusers are persons who are involved in the improper use of drugs (Robber, Igbo & Amigwom, 2002). Olatunde (2009) states that Nigerian adolescents take drugs such as amphetamines and pro-plus as aid for success in examination. He postulates that those who take drugs as aids for studies toward examinations are those with poor academic records, a history of instability and family/ social problems while others, he commended; use drugs to increase their self confidence, heighten pleasure, cope with feelings of depression and inadequacy, and to facilitate communication.
Andreas (2006) stated that substance such as alcohol, drug and tobacco abuse are really prevalent among children and adolescents in the United States. He further pointed out that the use and misuse of these substance usually occur because of different reasons within the society in which these children and adolescent belong. Certain influencial factors to adolescents’ substance abuse; include; family and peer influence, individual characteristic including behaviour and personality (Johnson, Bachman & O’malley, 2003). All age groups are affected by
this pervasive difficulty, adolescents and young adults are particularly heavily affected (Saadatu,
2006).
Adolescent are young people of chronological age and those who are physiologically old enough to have experienced puberty but not sufficiently matured to have developed the physical stability of adult life ( Agunlana, 1999). The term adolescent is derived from the latin word meaning ‘to grow up’ or to grow into maturity. Adolescent is a person who is in the transition to acquire biological features peculiar to the adult group (Okoro, 2004). Nwoarali (2004) defined adolescent as a person who is within the period of transition from childhood to adulthood and the adolescent’s age range fall between the ages 10 and 19 years. WHO (2010) defined adolescent as a person between the ages of 10 and 19 years. The adolescents pass through changes leading to physical maturity, poor judgment, risk taking, strong peer influence and idealism. In this study, adolescent is defined as a person who is within the period of transition from childhood to adulthood with age range falling between 15 and 19.
Eke (2004) observed that if the beginning of adolescent can be defined, the definition of its end is not really tidy and that the difficulty arises from the gross variability in the commencement of biological features of adulthood namely; menstruation in girls, and perhaps breaking of the voice in boys (Bakare,2002). Adolescence is a time of metamorphosis from childhood to adulthood associated with dramatic physical growth and development as well as experimentation and acquisition of behaviour that carry high risks, mobility and mortality (Turagabeci, Nakamura & Takana, 2008). This is in line with one of the main causes of adolescents substance abuse as pointed out by Haladu (2003) curiosity to experiment the unknown facts about drugs this motivates adolescents into substance use. The adolescents attitude depends on the behaviour of the individual as a person, for there are some whom their attitude may lead to stealing prostitution, truancy, lateness to school, drop-out of school to mention but few.
The term out-of-school adolescents does not refer only to adolescents who are outside of age appropriate level of education (that is lower secondary or upper secondary level), rather the term denotes adolescents who are definitely out of school, meaning that they are not enrolled in any lower secondary or any other level of education most typically at the primary level (UN,
2009; UNICEF, 2002 & WHO, 2009). UNICEF (2009) defined out-of-school adolescents as adolescents who are definitely out of school. In this study, the UNICEF’S (2002) definition of out-of-school adolescents will be adopted as the operational definition (adolescents who are definitely out of school).
Among the findings made on educational indicators and data analysis (EDA) unit of UNESCO on out-of-school adolescents, Michael and Peter (2012) observed that adolescents from more disadvantaged families, those whose mothers were unemployed, or who had low educational levels or low family incomes, were likely to experience a primary care out of their own home resulting to increase in problem behaviour among young adolescents, particularly drug and alcohol use and school misconduct. In other words, consistent monitoring from parents and members of the community appears particularly protective for youths and adolescents at disadvantage. A number of studies have suggested that there are risk factors which can lead adolescents to the abuse of drugs. Johnson, Bachman and O’mally (2003) described three basic categories of risk factors; demographic, social and behavioural.
Demographic is defined as a concept pertaining to characteristics of the population, such as race, sex, age, household size and population growth density (Houghton,2007). Demographic characteristics is defined by Rob (2009) as current statistical characteristics of a population including gender, age, status, location. There are significant differences between male and female substance abusers. The prevalent of substance abuses in the male adolescents is higher than in the female (Lamptey, 2002).
Findings made from the study on analysis of alcohol consumption among in-school youths by Mtomga,(2002) indicate that factors such as age, gender, level of education influence alcohol consumption among adolescents. In this study, demographic is seen as those characteristics of a population such as age, gender, religion affiliation, level of education, occupation and marital status.
Gender is seen by Basson (1991) as a psychological term describing behaviour and attributes expected of individuals on the basis of being born either male or female. Lamptey (2002) indicates that there is greater involvement of males in drug- related offences than females. There was significant differences between abusers and non abusers with regard to gender status.
Age is another demographic characteristics of out-of-school adolescents who are substance abusers. Age is defined as the number of years that a person has lived or a thing has existed (Abel, 1990). The age period of highest prevalence of abusers as well as the highest quantity of intake for each of the relevant substances occur between the mid-teens and mid- twenties. The highest age range of the first substance abuse by the abusers in the study on socio- demographic characteristics of substance abusers is between 15 and 24 years (Lamptey, 2002). Furthermore, the study compared the marital status of parents of abusers and non- abuser, it shows that the death of one or both parents renders a youngster more vulnerable to substance abuse.
The educational level of the out-of-school adolescent may be considered to have link to their substance abuse since exposure has some thing to do in the life of an individual. Piaget (1980) stated that intellectual development takes place as a result of the interaction existing between two important psychological processes called ‘assimilation’ (the ability of the individual to make or pattern the external environment to fit into his own internal cognitive structure or scheme.)
The English word ‘religion’ is derived from the middle English “religioun”. It may have been originally derived from the Latin word “religion” which mean “good faith” ritual and other similar meanings (Bellah, 1983). There are religions with their different believes such as Christian, Muslim, Traditionalist, etc. Pozzato (1990) has rightly observed that Christmas and New Year holidays motivate the adolescents to consume alcohol. Pozzato added that adolescents drink over 1.5 million bottles and cans of beer lager and wine drinking during this period. Gwala (1980) also reported that Sallah period influences the adolescents to consume substance particularly in Nigeria where the Federal Government declared this period as public holidays. According to Keller (1991) alcohol is mostly abused by Youths during occasions such as bazaar and harvest periods. He added that the youths drink more frequently during this period.
Occupation is a regular activity or hobby, a person’s job (Cambridge advance learners Dictionary 3r edition). According to Muchiri, (2005) occupation affects social economic status, and that studies have shown that social economic status is associated with drug use and abuse.
The adolescent lifestyle is now being considered as one of the major concern in our Nigerian Society. The fact that adolescent fall into the transition period from childhood to adulthood, has often put them in a dilemma of how to meet the society’s expectations and that has exposed them to different lifestyle that are influenced by certain factors pointed out previously which are family peer influence, individual characteristics including behaviour and personality. Adolescents, especially those out-of-school tend to see the drug user as one who is tough, bold and strong. Out-of-school adolescents who usually feel inadequate have been known to use drugs to achieve social acceptance. Esen (2002) stated that Nigerian adolescents under the influence of indian hemp shed all inhabitations and produce behaviour that is inconsistent with community belief. Several environmental factors also have been implicated in substance abuse, a lack of appropriate laws enforcement has been to contribute to the prevalence of teenage drinking and drug use (Comb & bentler, 1998). Behaviour risk factor to substance abuse include rebelliousness and precocious sexual and delinquent activities (Blum, Ikeland & Blum, 2003) . Another category of risk factors is individual characteristics. Poor academic achievement has
been found to influence alcohol and other drug use, also psychological variables such as self- esteem, motivation, developmental factors and depression can be factors to adolescents substance abuse (Andras, 2006). Okorodudu and Okorodudu (2004) in their research work indicated that the problem of drug abuse know no boundaries of social class. It impedes the development of any society as it is a threat to life, health, dignity and prosperity of all individual.
The future wealth and man power of any country depends on the mental and physical health of the youth of today. It is therefore important for all countries including Nigeria to adopt concrete and appropriate strategies in combating physical, psychological and social-medical problem which may affect the youth negatively through their use of drugs. The factors leading to substance abuse are many, and so any meaningful study in the area should therefore involve those socialization agents which are family (home) school, and other governmental bodies.
Statistics have shown that majority of persons living with HIV and AIDS are within the age bracket of 14-24 years under the influence of drugs (Sola, 2004). This study was undertaken to throw light on the demographic characteristics of out-of- school adolescent substance abusers. The demographic characteristics intended to examine include; age, gender; occupation; marital status of abusers’ parents, educational level, and religion affiliation of substance abusers in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. Relevant theories in the present study include; social learning theory, personality theory, biological theory and socio-cultural theories. Theories of drug abuse indicate that some people truly depend on certain drugs for their survival due to a number of factors. The major emphasis of the theories is that people have their individual reasons for depending on one type of the drug or the other.
The substance abusers could be passing through one problem or the other which may either be psychological, mental or social. Certain factors may have contributed to their abuse of these substances, factors pertaining their growth and development with surrounding environment and the interaction. Haladu (2003) explains that when an individual interacts with his environment, a new experience is acquired and this new experience must be fitted into the individual’s cognitive structure. In other words, family, peer group and individual’s personal characteristics may be among the influential factors of out-of-school adolescent substance abuse. It is the intent of this study to focus on the demographic characteristics of out-of-school adolescent substance abusers.
Statement of the Problem
Substances like drugs are prescribed for medication purposes, and so meant to be useful to man. The human body in response, reacts, based on the dosage of the drug administered to it. The body naturally regulates the reactions of the drugs as part of metabolic homeostasis. However, the abuse of these substances through the use of, its over dose, unprescribed or for other reasons other than medication affects the normal functioning of the body organs.
Substance abuse as health risk behaviour are evident in adolescent and have far searching implications for individual adolescent, families and communities. Substance abuse drastically reduces quality of life and demands substantial economic cost to remedy such abnormalities on the part of the individual family and nation. Nigeria adolescents take drugs such as amphetamines and pro-plus as aid for success in examination. Those who take drugs as aids for studies toward examinations are those with poor academic records, a history of instability and family/ social problems, while others use drugs to increase their self confidence, heighten pleasure, cope with feelings of depression and inadequacy, and to facilitate communication (Olatunde, 1997). Substance abuse is a very serious problem among adolescents and which has slowly made the average Nigerian to maimed, sentences to a life of delinquency, insanity, street walking and premature death. A substantial proportion of the adolescent population use drugs or alcohol to the extent that their health and inter-personal relationship are adversely affected (Johnson, Bachman & O’malley, 2003). The study on socio-demographic factors on adolescents substance abusers by Miller and Plout (2006) indicated that the highest age range of substance abusers is between 15-24 years; also that substance abuse is an adolescent male problem than their female counterpart. There has always been gender imbalance in substance abuse. Maccob and Jaklin (1996) postulated that it is possible that these inequalities in gender distribution may be due to, some degree, the innate differences between both sexes in their readiness to learn certain behaviours. Thus males are associated with aggression, violence, independency and adventurism, which are potent factors in the initiation of substance abuse. Women are, on the other hand, conceptualized as more emotional less aggressive, more dependent and less adventurous. These explanations are still controversial. Demographic characteristics of substance abusers have been researched on by different individuals both in other developing and developed countries of the world. However, the present study was undertaken to examine the demographic characteristics of out- of- school adolescent substance abusers in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to determine the demographic characteristics of out-of- school adolescent substance abusers (OSASA) in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State. Specifically, the study intended to find out the:
1. types of substance abuse.
2. extent of substance abuse among out of school adolescents.
3. demographic characteristics of out-of-school adolescent substance abusers of types of substance abuse;
4. gender of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser;
5. age of out-of-school adolescent substance abusers;
6. educational level of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser;
7. religious affiliation of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser;
8. occupation of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser.
Research Questions:
1. What are the types of substance abuse?
2. To what extent are substance abuse among the school adolescents?
3. What are the demographic characteristics of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser of the types of substance abuse?
4. What is the gender of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser?
5. What is the age of the of out-of-school adolescent substance abuser?
6. What is the educational level of the OSASA?
7. What is the religious affiliation of OSASA
8. What is the occupation of the OSASA?
Hypotheses
The following null hypotheses were postulated to guide the present study. Each was tested at .05 level of significance at the appropriate degree of freedom.
1. There is no significant difference in the male and female out-of-school substance abusers.
2. There is no significant difference in substance abuse of-out-of-school adolescents according to age.
3. There is no significant difference in substance abuse of out-of-school adolescents according to level of education .
4. There is no significant difference in substance abuse of out-of-school adolescents according to religious affiliation .
5. There is no significant difference in substance abuse of out-of-school adolescents according to occupation.
Significance of the Study.
The present study provided information on the demographic characteristics of out-of- school adolescent substance abusers in Aba South Local Government Area. The information obtained will be useful to the public health officers, social health workers, health educators, state ministry of health.
The data generated on the educational level of out-of-school adolescent substance abusers probably will provide considerable assistance in identifying prevailing demographic characteristics among out-of-school adolescents.
The information will be very useful to health educators since it will enable then to educate the out-of-school adolescents and those concerns in the growth and development of adolescent youths on the preventive measures for substance abuse. The data from the study will be of benefit to the state ministries of Health and Education since this will facilitate the organizing of health programmes and also enable the government to devise techniques and strategies towards prevention of substance abuse.
The data generated on the occupation of the out-of-school adolescent substance abusers will be of huge benefit to parents in providing informations in determining the proportion of their male and female adolescents who abuse substance and be able to educate them on the harmful effects of substance abuse.
The data generated on the religion affiliation of the out-of-school adolescents will be of beneficial to provide information that may assist religious leaders in their work of evangelism also preaching against the use and abuse of substance.
The data generated on the substance abuse among out-of-school adolescents will be useful to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) since it may enable them appreciate the magnitude of the substance abuse problem among the adolescent. Such information may help to sharpen their focus.
Furthermore, anticipated findings on demographic characteristics that may exist among OSASA will not only be of immense significance to SME, SMH, public health officers, health educators but researchers on substance abusers and NGO. Such findings will provide baseline
data for the design of appropriate intervention programme against substance abuse in Abia State in particular and Nigeria in general.
The study is significant in the sense that some theories such as social learning theory, personality theory, biological theory and socio-cultural theory, which have been developed to facilitate a positive change in behaviour and health promotion. These theories and anticipated findings of the study, such a theory will be incorporated and adopted as operational model in this study due to its relevance in Nigerian context. The anticipated findings of the present study will also provide a platform for further studies.
Scope of the Study.
The study was limited to demographic characteristics of OSASA in Aba South L.G.A of Abia State. Though, there are many demographic variables associate with OSASA, the study will restrict its scope to variables such as age, gender, occupation and religion affiliation, so as to curtail the constraints of fund and bias. This study also adopted models as social learning theory, personality theory, socio-cultural theory and biological theory, because experts in health profession and other health related discipline have utilized the theories in their related studies effectively.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSERS IN ABA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ABIA STATE>
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