"Drug" use among high school students in Addis Ababa and Butajira

Abstract

Abstract: The problem of "drug" use is an emerging and serious problem in Africa. However, studies on the use of "drug" are rare. The proposed research aimed at determining the magnitude of drug use among high school students and identify factors associated with drug use among high school students. The study was conducted in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, and Butajira a rural town located 150 kms south of Addis Ababa, in January 1998 using administered questionnaires. A total of 241 students, from randomly selected two government and one private secondary schools in Addis Ababa and 187 students from a government secondary school Butajira, were enrolled in the study. Alcohol and khat were the most commonly used drugs in all schools. On the other hand, cigarrete and cannabis were consumed more in the private school (48% and 31%, respectively), than in government schools (5%and 1% in Addis Ababa and 6% and 3% in Butajira, respectively) (x2 = 52, p= <0.001;x2 =39, p=< 001). Most of the students in the private school took the drugs for relaxation and entertainment while students in government schools took them mainly for social reasons. The current status of drug use and its implication are discussed. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1999;13(2):101-106]