Prevalence and Determinants of Psychoactive Substance Use among Secondary School Students in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Abstract
Background: The prevalence of psychoactive substance use (PSU) among teenagers in Nigeria ranges from 13.6% to 43.4%, a serious public health concern. No published research has examined PSU among secondary school students in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) using multivariable logistic regression to identify independent predictors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used random sampling and included six schools, from which 286 students/pupils were selected. The structured self-administered questionnaire was based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the CRAFFT screening tool, and the World Health Organization Global School-based Student Health Survey. Data analysis was done using Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression (p ≤ 0.05).
Results: The lifetime prevalence of PSU was 18.9%. Alcohol had the highest lifetime prevalence (13.3%), followed by cigarettes/tobacco and cannabis (8.4% each). The modal age at first use was 14-16 years; the most common sources were friends (50.0%) and peer pressure (38.9%). The CRAFFT positive-screen rate was 15.0%. Lifetime PSU was substantially correlated with sex (p = 0.003) and the socioeconomic composite (p = 0.0497), with use increasing from 13.4% to 17.4% across risk tertiles. There were no independent predictors (model p = 0.264).
Conclusion: One in five pupils reported having experienced PSU at some point in their lives. After adjustment, the socioeconomic association was no longer significant. The lack of independent predictors with just 54 users indicates insufficient power rather than a lack of risk factors. The multivariable model was exploratory given an events-per-variable ratio of 4.2, below the recommended minimum of 10.
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