Prevalence and Determinants of Psychoactive Substances among Youths in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and determinants of psychoactive substances use among youths in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State. To achieve the aim of this study, four (4) research questions were raised as guide. The design adopted for this study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey while multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a total of 189 youths from the respective communities in the study area for the study. The instrument for data collection was semi-structured questionnaire constructed in consonance with the study objectives. The questionnaire was duly validated with high reliability coefficient. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequency counts, simple percentages, weighted mean score, and Chi-square statistic. Data analysis was conducted with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Results of the study revealed that a majority 164 (86.7%) of the students have used psychoactive substances and same proportion are currently using these substances. The most used psychoactive substances are alcohol 160 (97.6%). The significant reasons why these students involve in the used of these substances were; to conform to peers (3.51±0.36), boost confidence (3.74±0.32), and for experimentation (3.12±0.17). The demographic characteristics of youths associated with the use of psychoactive substances include sex, age, place of residence, and family type (p<0.05). Based on these findings, it was recommended that an enlightenment programme should be designed and implemented in communities especially in Calabar Metropolis to create awareness on the health and legal implications of using psychoactive substances.