African Journal of Drug and Alcohol Studies

Psycho-spatial predictors of drug use among Inner City Youths in Uyo

Wilson Eseme Akpan — 2024-10-30

This study examined psycho-spaal predictors (psychological – opmisc bias and stress: spaal-drug availability, neighborhood density and proximity) of drug use among inner city youths of Uyo. A descripve cross-seconal survey design was used to interview 228 youths in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Parcipants, with an average age of 31.46, were 75% male. A standardized quesonnaire, consisng of Drug Use Disorder Idenficaon Test (DUDIT), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Revised Life Orientaon Test-Revised (LOT-R) were used for data collecon. Drug availability was assessed in this study in terms of ease of difficulty in obtaining the drug ranging from very easy to very difficult. Environmental proximity was assessed by asking the respondents the proximity between their residence and where the drug they used are sold- ranging from “On the same street” to “not available in my neighborhood”. Neighborhood density was assessed by asking the respondents their area of residence in Uyo – as high density or low density. Result showed that drug availability [β= -4.23; t = - 4.22; p < 0.05] stress level [β=0.33; t =2.96; p < 0.05] and opmisc bias [β= - 0.52; t=-3.18; p< 0.05] predicted drug use. The study concluded that these psychospaal variables are very important in understanding drug use among young persons and the need to situate intervenon within this psychospaal domain was emphasized.

Role of type a personality and substance use on perceived social stigma among undergraduates

Eene N. Umoren — 2024-10-30

This study explored the relaonship between Type A personality, substance use and perceived social sgma among university undergraduates. The study was a survey research which adopted the cross-seconal (exploratory) design. The Social Interaconist Theory by Goffman guided the study. A hypothesized model was developed and its empirical suitability was tested with three clearly delineated hypotheses. A sample of three hundred and ninety-seven (397) parcipants consisng of two hundred and two (202) males and one hundred and ninety-five (195) females, was surveyed. They were selected from twelve facules from three Universies. Parcipants' age ranged from 18 to 50 with a mean age of 34 years. The independent t-test was used to test hypotheses 1 and 2, while mulple regression was used for hypothesis 3. The first finding of the study revealed a significant influence of Type A personality on social sgma among the parcipants, thus the hypothesis was accepted. The second finding revealed a significant influence of substance use on social sgma among the parcipants, the hypothesis was also accepted. The third finding showed that Type A personality and substance use significantly and jointly predicted social sgma, the hypothesis was accepted. The findings of this study provide a beer understanding of the social sgma surrounding substance use and how it is perceived by students with Type A personality. The findings were discussed in relaon with past theorecal and empirical literature. Conclusions were drawn and recommendaons advanced in line with the study's findings.

Assessment of medical doctors' knowledge of new psychoactive substances and their neurobehavioural effects

Evelyn Osemhen Eziagu — 2024-10-30

New Psychoacve Substances (NPS), also known as designer drugs, pose significant public health risks due to their potent psychoacve properes and potenal neurobehavioural effects. Medical doctors play a crucial role in idenfying and addressing the health risks associated with NPS use. This study assessed medical doctors' knowledge of NPS and their neurobehavioral effects. A cross-seconal online survey of licensed medical doctors was conducted, revealing varying levels of awareness and knowledge regarding NPS. While respondents showed familiarity with NPS terminology and street names, gaps existed, parcularly concerning specific NPS categories. This underscores the importance of enhancing medical professionals' understanding of NPS to ensure comprehensive paent care and informed treatment decisions.

Drug use and divorce rates in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Wisdom Selekekeme Krokeyi — 2024-10-30

This study examines the relaonship between drug use and divorce rates in Bayelsa State Nigeria, it ulized survey design, using quesonnaire to obtain data with a purposive sample size of 420. The data was analyzed using the Logisc and the Probit regression techniques. It was found that drug consumpon, frequency of drug consumpon and misuse of drug had a posive and insignificant impact on divorce among drug consumers. 2 The Pseudo R presented in column (1) shows that the variables in the model explain approximately 68.56% change in the divorce rate. The likelihood chi-square value of 30.53 (p = 0.0000) means that the variables jointly significantly affect the rate of divorce. The pvalue for hats is 0.239. The non-significant hatsq means good regression model adequacy. Also, the insignificant Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test is evidence of the overall goodness of fit of the regression model. Sensizaon of the dangers associated with the abuse of drug, frequent consumpon of drug and the use of drug without a medical doctor's prescripon is recommended.

Changing composition of street drug nyaope and its implications in South Africa

Aye Aye Khine — 2024-10-30

Nyaope is a Novel Psychoacve Substance (NPS) that connues to bring major challenges to the health and social well-being of users and their communies in South Africa. The acve ingredients that make up this cocktail drug Nyaope were first idenfied in 2015 using Time-of- flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) in the samples collected from the surrounding areas of the capital city Pretoria, and they were found to be variable across the samples. This variability had posed challenges to the treatment and rehabilitaon programmes. The current study was conducted in 2020, and included significantly a larger number of Nyaope samples collected from two provinces: Gauteng and Kwa Zulu-Natal of South Africa. The analycal method applied was also an improved model of TOF-MS analyser with a larger library of various drugs and their metabolites for matching the ingredients. Strikingly, many non-addicve drugs that were found in the previous samples were not found in this study. The new trend of formulaon has become more addicve and compact with major opiates and a few selected opioids, and with paracetamol and caffeine in different combinaons. This study reports differences in the physical appearance and the chemical composion of street drug Nyaope across the 2 provinces of South Africa: Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal (KZN), and also compared with the previous findings of 2015 in the samples collected in Gauteng province. The drug appears to be widely consumed and has serious health consequences as per previous studies, and therefore, understanding the chemical substances used in the drug will be helpful in both treatment and rehabilitaon efforts.