FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR DRUG ABUSE AMONG IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN ILORIN SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, KWARA STATE

Abstract

Abstract This study assessed factors responsible for drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State. The purpose of this study was to determine (i) psychological factors, (ii) economic factors and (iii) environmental factors that are responsible for drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State. Descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted for the study. Multi-stage sampling technique consisting of proportionate, purposive and simple random sampling technique was adopted to select four hundred and ninety-two (492) students of secondary schools in Ilorin South Local Government Area Kwara State. Researcher-designed structured questionnaire validated by three (3) experts from the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, University of Ilorin, Nigeria was used for the data collection. A reliability co-efficient of r = 0.71 was obtained through Cronbach alpha. Data collection was done by the researcher with assistance from school teachers. Inferential statistics of Chi-square (χ2) was used to test the stated null hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The finding from this study were that; 1. psychological factors were significantly responsible for drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State, because, cal. >tab.val. @ df 3 and α = 0.05; 2. economic factors were significantly responsible for drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State, because, cal. >tab.val. @ df 3 and α = 0.05 and 3. environmental factors were significantly responsible for drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government Area, Kwara State, because, cal. >tab.val. @ df 3 and α = 0.05. This study concluded that psychological factors, economic factors and economic factors were responsible for drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government, Area Kwara State. The study recommended health education, financial supports and discouragement of drug production, distribution, sales and promotion as ways to solve the problem of drug abuse among in-school adolescents in Ilorin South Local Government.