Knowledge and attitudes about psychoactive substance abuse among secondary school students in Kinondoni municipality

This study was designed to find out knowledge and attitudes about psychoactive substances abuse among secondary school students. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of psychoactive substance abuse, to determine the level of knowledge about psychoactive substance abuse and to ascertain students’ attitudes towards psychoactive substance abuse. The study employed mainly quantitative method in which a cross sectional survey study was undertaken in four secondary schools in two among 34 wards of the Kinondoni Municipality. The population comprised of all form two and three students from Goba and Mbweni wards, while the sample consisted of 305 (93.8%) students from form two and three classes. Through stratified random sampling respondents were obtained. The data were obtained using self administered questionnaires and finally were subjected to descriptive analysis procedures to depict frequencies and percentages of the responses. The findings revealed that about 285 (93.4%) of students dominated by females have never abused any type of substances in their life time. The study found alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana (bhangi) and khat (mirungi) being commonly abused. Some 97.3% of respondents knew about psychoactive substance abuse. The easiest known psychoactive substances to be accessed were marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol, khat and cocaine. The leading major known source of substances abused among students was play grounds 235 (77%). The leading known risk factors for psychoactive substance abuse were friends, models from significant others, stress, availability, low religious involvements, heroism and media. Relatively high proportion 284 (90.1%) to 297 (97.4%) of the students agreed that substance abuse have effects on health, academic, social and behaviour. The top five sources of information on the danger of psychoactive substance abuse were peers/friends, parents/guardians, teachers, internet and television. Furthermore, findings revealed that a great percentage 173 (56.7%) to 256 (83.9%) of students had negative attitudes toward psychoactive substance abuse. The study concludes that, efforts should be taken to provide more education to students. Also, parents/guardians and teachers should be provided with appropriate education about the danger of psychoactive substance abuse among students as they were mentioned to be among sources of information. The study recommends government and other stakeholders like parents, guardians and teachers to put restriction on accessibility of psychoactive substances to secondary students. Playgrounds need to be investigated and supervised by adults or authorities as they appeared to be the leading known source of psychoactive substance abuse. On the other hand, parents/guardians and teachers should also receive information on psychoactive substance abuse by young people, the associated dangers, as well as parents/guardians and teachers’ role in prevention of psychoactive substance abuse. Also, the study recommends provision of more education by teachers, parents/guardians and mass media to students regarding the danger of psychoactive substance abuse in order to help them in shaping their attitudes.