Prevalence, Awareness, and Attitudes towards the Dangers of Drug Abuse among Undergraduate Students in a Public University in Nigeria

The use of psychoactive substances among undergraduate students has become a subject of public concern worldwide partly because of its potential to contribute to unintentional and intentional injury. The major aim of this study is to assess the prevalence, awareness, and attitudes towards the dangers of drug abuse among undergraduate at University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State. A descriptive cross sectional design was adopted to assess the prevalence, awareness, and attitudes towards the dangers of drug abuse among undergraduate. A multistage sampling technique was adopted in selecting 168 respondents. The data were processed using statistical software SPSS 27.0. The finding reported that 27.4% of undergraduate students had engaged in drug abuse, with alcohol (71.7%) being the most commonly abused substances. The primary reasons for drug abuse included coping with stress or academic pressure (60.9%), social gatherings (47.8%), and curiosity (30.4%). Awareness of drug misuse was high (89.9%). The overall attitudinal also showed that majority (69.0%) of respondents had a negative attitude. Key factors influencing drug misuse among undergraduates included peer influence (4.06 mean), curiosity and experimentation (4.05 mean). Regarding preventive measures, majority (58.9%) of respondents agreed that involving parents in drug prevention programs was highly effective (3.97 mean). The findings from this study reveal a significant prevalence of drug abuse among undergraduate students. Despite a high level of awareness regarding the implications of substance abuse, majority of respondents continues to engage in such behaviors. Hence, appropriate authorities should address the factors contributing to drug abuse and also enhance the knowledge of both students and healthcare professionals.