Prevalence of Drug Abuse Amongst Nnamdi Azikiwe University Students in Nnewi Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria. Prevalence of Drug Abuse Amongst Nnamdi Azikiwe University Students.

Abstract

Background: Drug abuse is escalating into a grave issue in Nigeria, particularly with regard to the country's higher educational institutions, necessitating immediate action. Objectives: We aim to determine the prevalence of drug abuse amongst Nnamdi Azikiwe University students in Nnewi campus, Anambra state, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving a total of hundred (100) participants recruited using simple random sampling. SKYTECTM Drug abuse test was used to detect the presence of tramadol, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), methamphetamine (MET), ketamine (KET) and 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in the subjects’ urine sample following the manufacturer’s instruction. Results: The findings revealed that forty-three (43%) of the participants were female and fifty-seven (57%) of the participants were male. Eighty-one (81%) were between the ages of 22 and 35, fifteen (15%) between the ages of 18 and 21, and four (4%) were between the ages of 17 and 18. Among the individuals, 7% (<18.5 kg/m²) were underweight, 69% (18.5-24.9 kg/m²) were normal weight, 15% (25 kg/m²) were overweight, and 9% (>30.0 kg/m²) were obese. The prevalence of drugs abused by the participants were THC 7(7%), tramadol 0(0%), MET 0(0%), KET 0(0%), and MDMA 0(0%) respectively. Curiosity; stress relief, peer pressure and choice were the influencing factors. There was a significant association between the place of abuse with the current trend of drug abuse (x2 = 17.872, p=0.003) and between abuse partner with the current trend of drug abuse (x2 = 15.184, p=0.002). Conclusion: Early intervention focused at preventative and therapeutic measures should be implemented.