Nigerian university students’ conception of and attitudes toward drug abusers

Abstract

This study investigated the Nigerian university students’ conception of and attitude towards drug abusers. Nigerian University students have different opinions and attitudes toward drug abuse. Many opine that drug abusers are friendly, loyal, honest and hardworking while others feel that they do not have these qualities. A descriptive design of the survey type was used for the study. A total of 350 students participated in the study. The students were proportionally selected from nine universities out of fifty two state and federal universities in Nigeria. The institutions were zoned into first, second and third generation Universities. Thus, three Universities were
randomly selected from each generation, using the hat dip method. A self-constructed instrument was used to test the conceptions and attitudes of university students towards drug abusers. The instrument was validated by four experts in the field of Health Education. A total of four hypotheses were formulated for the variables of conceptions and attitudes of university students toward drug abusers and tested at 05 alpha level. The item on the conception (CONTNUSDA) and attitude (ATNUSTDA) were ranked  separately using item by item analysis to determine the item with highest responses. The data collected were analysed using t–test. Results showed that male and female, Christian and Muslim students have different conceptions and attitudes toward drug abusers. Based on the findings of this study, i.e. it was recommended among others that drug abusers should not be stigmatised but empathised with. Also, seminars, symposia and lectures should be held for Nigerian University students on how to relate with drug abusers.

Keywords: Conception, Attitudes, Drug Abuser.