Ml. Adelekan et al., MONITORING TRENDS IN SUBSTANCE USE THROUGH A REPEAT CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY IN A NIGERIAN UNIVERSITY, Drugs: education, prevention policy, 3(3), 1996, pp. 239-247
This report gives recent information on the trends in substance use in
a group of university students in Nigeria. The data was derived from
two cross-sectional surveys conducted in 1988 and 1993 in a representa
tive sample of undergraduates of University of Ilorin, Nigeria. The st
udy population involved 10% of the total student enrolment (649 in 198
8 and 859 in 1993) randomly selected to complete a 117-item student su
bstance-use questionnaire. The findings show that in 1993, there was a
significant reduction in the current use of alcohol, cigarettes and s
alicylate analgesics, and in the lifetime use of alcohol, cigarettes,
salicylate analgesics, stimulants and hypnosedatives. This reduction a
ffected both sexes almost equally. However, a significant increase was
recorded for the current non-medical use of antibiotics, and in the l
ifetime use of organic solvents. Usage rates were stable for the low-u
se substances such as cannabis, cocaine and heroin. The pattern of use
of the commonly used substances remained largely 'occasional', with a
shift towards less frequent smoking in 1993. Drinking and smoking rem
ained predominantly a male activity in both phases. It is believed tha
t the prevailing harsh economic conditions which limit access to the s
ubstance may contribute to the observed trends.