Socio-demographic correlates of psychoactive substance consumption among secondary school adolescents in a remote district of Buhweju, Uganda Adolescents in a Remote District of Buhweju, Uganda

Abstract

Consumption of psychoactive substances remains one of the hot-button debate of the 21st century. Many puzzles regarding consumption of psychoactive substances have been captioned in the correlates of the phenomenon. The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and psychoactive drug use. The data was collected using a Self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. The data collected was processed and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS V. 27).  Logistic Regression was the main data analysis technique. The study was conducted among 08 randomly and purposively selected schools in Buhweju District. The study population was secondary school students.  350 students were recruited for the study. The response was by filling out the questionnaire. It was established that students affiliated with the Anglican religion exhibited higher odds of psychoactive drug use, as compared to their counterparts in the Roman Catholic Religion, (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.00, 2.4, p = 0.049). The results were significant. No observation of peers consuming psychoactive substances also demonstrated elevated odds of engaging in psychoactive drug use (OR = 1.9; 95% CI = 1.19, 2.9, p = 0.006), indicating unique and varying risk factors among students. Students affiliated with the Anglican dominion had higher odds of consumption of the psychoactive substances, as compared to other dominions. Observation of peers who consumed the substances was on a significant risk for consumption of such substances.