5-yearly monitoring of trends of substance use among secondary school students in Ilorin, Nigeria, 1988-1998
Adelekan, M.L.; Makanjuola, A.B.; Ndom, R.J.; Fayeye, J.O.; Adegoke, A.A.; Amusan, O.; Idowu, A.I.
West African Journal of Medicine 20(1): 28-36
2001
ISSN/ISBN: 0189-160X PMID: 11505884 Document Number: 529466
This report describes the trends of substance use among youths by comparing data collected among senior secondary school students in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria, at 5-yearly intervals (1988-98). In 1998, data were collected from 750 senior secondary school students from six schools in the study area using a self-report 117-item questionnaire based on the WHO guidelines for student substance-use surveys. Substances investigated in the survey were alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis, strong and mild stimulants, hypnosedatives, antibiotics, cocaine, heroin, organic solvents and hallucinogens. These data were compared with those collected from students with similar characteristics, and from the same six schools in 1988 and 1993. The high-use substances were mild stimulants, antibiotics and alcohol, while cigarettes, cannabis, heroin and cocaine remained as low-use substances. Most current users of all the substances were occasional users, except for cigarettes and cannabis, where more frequent (daily and weekly) usage was reported. There was also a significant increase in the use of alcohol, organic solvents, mild stimulants and hypnosedatives, and a significant reduction in cigarette smoking over the three data waves. No gender difference was recorded for alcohol, hypnosedatives and cocaine use in the three data waves. Although some substances recorded significant increases in their usage over the three data waves, the current use rates are still generally low and comparable to those of other Nigerian studies. Substances used are those employed mainly for study purposes (mild stimulants and hypnosedatives), and most students used the substances only on an occasional basis. Nonetheless, in view of the rapidly changing socioeconomic life of Ilorin City, it has become imperative to continue with the 5-yearly monitoring of trends.