Knowledge and Health Impact of Crystal Meth Consumption among Youth in a Rural Community in Rivers State

Abstract

This study investigated knowledge and health impact of crystal meth consumption among youth in a rural community, Rivers State. Three objectives were formulated to guide the conduct of the study. The study adopted cross sectional descriptive design involving 100 respondents. Random sampling technique was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was self-structured questionnaire. The demographic characteristics of respondents and the research questions were analyzed using simple frequencies and percentages and chart. Results of the study revealed that 68.2% of the respondents agreed that youth have knowledge about crystal meth, 65.5% agreed that there are factors that promote crystal meth consumption among the youth such as unemployment and poverty, abusive parental discipline, friends involvement in drug, availability of drug (crystal meth), boldness and confident and 63.6% agreed that there are health impact of crystal meth consumption among the youths such as a change in brain circuit, increases of heart rate, high blood pressure and stroke, violent behaviour, aggressiveness and psychosis, nosebleeds, sinus problem and damage inside the nose. Based on the findings, recommendations were made that there should be education of family units on the dangers of drug abuse by government, professional bodies, NGOs among others and parents should give their children proper upbringing and build up healthy communication relationship with them to know when they have started indulging in abusing drugs