Knowledge and Risk- Perception of Substance Abuse among Public Secondary School Students in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Substance abuse is a public health concern worldwide and has adversely affected the educational
system. Students who use substances display behaviours that are negatively affected the quality of
teaching and learning. Many studies have been done on substance abuse among secondary school
students but there is dearth of studies on knowledge and risk-perception of substance abuse among
public secondary school students The study assessed the knowledge, risk-perception and factors
influencing substance abuse among selected public secondary school students in Ibadan North
Local Government Area of Oyo State. A descriptive survey research method was used for the study
while a multi-stage sampling technique involving three stages and a validated structured
questionnaire with a reliability score of 0.85 was used to collect quantitative data from the selected
439 students from the selected public secondary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area
of Oyo State. Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and multiple regression analysis were
used to test the mean, standard deviation and correlation among the variables in the study. Findings
revealed that there was significant relationship between knowledge and factors influencing
substance abuse (r = .577, n= 439, p < .05), risk-perception and factors influencing substance abuse
(r = .621, n= 439, p < .05) and that the joint relationship of independent variables (knowledge,
risk-perception) substance abuse was significant (F (2.436) = 362.158; R=.575, R2 = .330, Adj R2
=.323; p < .05), the study concluded that knowledge and risk-perception were significant
determinant of substance abuse among selected public secondary school students. It was
recommended that government at all levels should develop and implement targeted interventions
that will focus on enhancing students' risk perception and promoting positive behaviour