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Comparative Study
. 2025 Feb 10;25(1):531.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-21739-y.

Prevalence and factors associated with substance abuse among adolescents in public and private secondary schools in Katsina State, Nigeria

Aminu Lawal  1 , Suleiman Bello Abdullahi  2 , Abdulhakeem Abayomi Olorukooba  3 , Khadeejah Liman Hamza  3 , Bilkisu Usman  4 , Amir Abdulkadir  1 , Shaimau Kabir Abba  1 , Shamsuddeen Suleiman Yahaya  1 , Nafisa Sani Nass  1 , Lawal Amadu  3 , Zaharaddeen Babandi Shuaibu  3 , Salamatu Belgore  5 , Hadiza Iliyasu  4 , Umar Muhammad Umar  3 , Bashar Muhammad Jibril  3 , Suleiman Saidu Bashir  3 , Adam Ahmad  6 , Fahad Abubakar Saulawa  3 , Muawiyyah Sufiyan Babale  3 , Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar  3
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Prevalence and factors associated with substance abuse among adolescents in public and private secondary schools in Katsina State, Nigeria

Aminu Lawal et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Globally, substance abuse has been identified as a major public health issue. The aim of the study was to determine and compare the prevalence, pattern, and predictors of substance abuse among adolescents in public and private day secondary schools in Katsina State.

Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was employed to investigate 1126 adolescents obtained through multistage sampling technique in selected public and private day secondary schools across geopolitical zones spanning both rural and urban LGAs in Katsina State. Data was collected over eight weeks with the aid of pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire and was analysed using IBM SPSS version 25. Ethical approval was obtained from Katsina State Ministry of Health.

Results: Overall, majority (25.1%) of respondents were 18 years of age (majority, 28% in public and 25.2% in private schools were 17 and 18 years of age respectively. Overall mean age of the study population was 16.98 ± 1.27 years (Public; 16.97 ± 1.237 years and Private;16.99 ± 1.309 years). Overall, most of the respondents were in SS3 (44.1%), (Public; 47.4% and Private; 40.8%). Proportion of adolescents who ever used any substance at least once was 22.02% (7.99% public, 14.03% private). Factors independently associated with substance abuse were being in SS3 class (p = 0.022), coming from monogamous family (p = 0.014) and peer substance abuse (p = 0.017). The logistic regression model reveals that current users in SS3 class, from monogamous setting and whose peers abuse substances are 7 times more likely (aOR = 7.12), 5 times more likely (aOR = 5.4) and 20% more likely (aOR = 0.209) to be in private than in public schools, respectively.

Conclusion: Prevalence of substance abuse was high. Major predictor was peer substance abuse. Consequently, the state Ministry of Education in collaboration with Ministry of Health and NDLEA should design a substance abuse prevention programme with a view to reducing the menace of substance abuse in the state.

Keywords: Abuse; Adolescents; Nigeria; Prevalence; Private; Public.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: In accordance with the Declaration of “Helsinki” all research protocols were approved by the Health and Research Ethics Committee of Katsina State Ministry of Health bearing HREC number MOH/ADM/SUB/1152/1/357. Participants’ autonomy to make informed choice on whether to participate in the research or not was fully respected. Participants were assured of confidentiality of information provided while adequate explanation on possible risks and benefits were fully explained to the participants. Although there was no risk posed by participating in the research, the benefit of participating in the research which involves making use of the findings to drive policy change was fully explained to the participants. Participants were made to understand that no compensation would be provided for the time spent responding to the questions. Furthermore, this research was conducted by a team of researchers with ethical and scientific knowledge, training and qualification in the subject area. Informed consent: was obtained from all subjects and/or their legal guardian(s) in accordance with the Nuremberg Code. Consent for publication: Not Applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Common substances abused by adolescents in public and private Schools in Katsina State, May 2021
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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