Knowledge, Attitude, Perception, and Practice of Drug Abuse Among Undergraduate University Students in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria

ABSTRACT: Substance abuse is a critical problem among adolescents and young adults in Southeast Nigeria, yet empirical evidence on substance use is limited. This study explored the knowledge, attitude, perceptions, and practice of drug abuse among undergraduate of a university in Southeast Nigeria to help develop a preventive health education program for students in tertiary institutions in Southeast Nigeria. A cross-sectional study that was designed within the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) model was used to collect information from 235 students who participated in a mental health awareness program. The age ranged from 17-32 years, with a mean of 22.98 and SD ±3.14. The males constituted 61% of the respondents. Median age for the initiation and the regular use of drugs were 17 and 19 years. Almost all the students, 99% of them had been taught about drug abuse. However, 35% of them did not see drug abuse as a major problem in the society. Up to 37% of them believed that suffering health damage or medical problem due to drug abuse is not at all likely. The majority of the respondents (56%) believed that using drugs makes people cool, and 8% of the participants had experienced withdrawal symptoms. The majority of them knew that drug abuse could lead to mental illness (75%), violence, or aggressive outbursts under the influence of drugs (71%). The findings will help in developing a framework for effective advocacy, policy formulation, and preventive health education program on substance abuse for students.
KEYWORD: Knowledge, Attitude, Perception, Practice, Drug Abuse, Undergraduate University Students,
Enugu Southeast Nigeria