Knowledge and attitudes towards the use of illicit drugs among secondary school students in Dar es salaam and coast regions Tanzania

This study is on “Knowledge and Attitudes Towards the Use of Illicit Drugs Among Secondary School Students in Tanzania” explored knowledge and attitudes of secondary school students towards the use of illicit drugs. Knowledge in this context means content knowledge in terms of facts, principle, and concept, while attitudes are dominant disposition of individuals towards events and objects. Attitudes are basically personnel but always expressed in a social context. They are acquired primarily through socialization, both formal and informal, but compounded by personal reflections and cognitions. The study had three aims as follows: • First explore secondary schools student attitudes towards the use of illicit drugs. • Find out if there were gender difference in student knowledge and attitude towards the use of illicit drugs. • Explore the influence of parental position on students’ knowledge and attitude towards the use of illicit drugs. • And finally determine the role of mass media in acquisition of knowledge and formation of attitude towards illicit drugs. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from 197 students from Form I and III aged between 13 and 22 years, in four secondary schools in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions. Interviews were used to collect information from teachers and parents, and focus group discussions were held with students. The data was analyzed to compare the responses of students by form, gender, and location. The result showed a good level of knowledge of different types of illicit drugs among boys and girls, and across localities. The respondents even knew the consequent behaviors. Apparently, pear groups and mass media played an important role in impacting knowledge. However, the student had negative attitudes towards the use of illicit drugs, and not many had used the drug at all. It was concluded that it would seem that the student had a fair knowledge of the use and misuse of illicit drugs, and this knowledge was acquired through the mass media and peers. These in turn seem to be the avenue for building specific programs to inform young persons on the negative consequences of the use and misuse of illicit drugs. It is recommended that parents, school, communities, and government officers should work together to fight against this potentially dangerous habit.