Socio-demographic parameters of drug addiction in the southern cross river, Nigeria

Abstract

Drug addiction has become a serious public health challenge in Nigeria today, and there is an urgent need to address this problem. In this study, we investigated the impact of some socio-demographic factors on drug addiction in the southern district of Cross River State, Nigeria. During the study, a questionnaire survey with 381 respondents who were sampled from the study region was conducted. The results showed that sex, peer influence, occupational status, social environment, and individual level of education strongly influenced drug addiction. About 93% (354) of the respondents agreed that men were more addicted to hard drugs than women, but 62.5% of them considered that there was no difference between men and women as to who took more variety of drugs. Three hundred and seventeen respondents agreed that younger people abuse drugs more than older ones, and 83.2% of them were certain that drug abuse was more prevalent among secondary school students. 61.4% responded that young addicts influence children into addiction. The majority of the surveyed population, specifically 90%, identified unemployment as a significant factor contributing to drug addiction. Additionally, 76% of the respondents said that illiteracy is associated with an increase in drug misuse, as the number of addicts without education surpassed those with education. Many of the addicts suffered from the double stigma of low socioeconomic status and drug dependency. It was determined that a reduction in poverty and unemployment, the provision of good-quality childcare, support for social capital, and effective early intervention programs, such as parental support in the early years of a child's life, would greatly minimize addiction.