Actors of Psychoactive Drug Initiation among Adolescents in Yaoundé-Cameroon  

作　　者：Claude-Audrey Meguieze Atabe Ngwene Neri Ngole Georges Eric Nseme Etouckey Paul Olivier Koki Ndombo Claude-Audrey Meguieze;Atabe Ngwene Neri Ngole;Georges Eric Nseme Etouckey;Paul Olivier Koki Ndombo(Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon;Department of Morphologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon)

机构地区：[1]Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon [2]Department of Morphologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon

出　　处：《Open Journal of Pediatrics》2024年第2期246-254,共9页儿科学期刊（英文）

摘　　要：Introduction: Actors of psychoactive drug initiation refer to those who introduce others to psychoactive drug use (initiators) and those who are introduced to psychoactive drugs (users). By identifying their features, better prevention and intervention programs can be developed to reduce psychoactive drug use among adolescents. This article describes the role of actors of psychoactive drug initiation among teenagers in secondary schools in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in twelve secondary schools in Yaoundé from October 2022 to May 2023. Adolescents from Form four to upper sixth, who assented to participate in the study and received parental consent were included. Data were collected in a structured self-reported questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 23. Quantitative variables were expressed using means, standard deviations, median and interquartile ranges depending on the distribution of data. Qualitative variables were expressed in the form of frequency and percentages. Results: Drug use was more prevalent among male adolescents (55.3%) from nuclear families (91.4%) who received relatively high pocket money. The main sources of drug exposure were non-family members (49.7%), especially friends outside school. The most frequent place of initiation was snack bars (33.1%). Conclusion: The study revealed the importance of the family, friends and leisure places in the initiation process of drug use in teenagers. Based on these results, parents and school authorities should work together to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters communication, education to prevent drug abuse among adolescents in Yaoundé.Introduction: Actors of psychoactive drug initiation refer to those who introduce others to psychoactive drug use (initiators) and those who are introduced to psychoactive drugs (users). By identifying their features, better prevention and intervention programs can be developed to reduce psychoactive drug use among adolescents. This article describes the role of actors of psychoactive drug initiation among teenagers in secondary schools in Yaoundé (Cameroon). Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in twelve secondary schools in Yaoundé from October 2022 to May 2023. Adolescents from Form four to upper sixth, who assented to participate in the study and received parental consent were included. Data were collected in a structured self-reported questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS 23. Quantitative variables were expressed using means, standard deviations, median and interquartile ranges depending on the distribution of data. Qualitative variables were expressed in the form of frequency and percentages. Results: Drug use was more prevalent among male adolescents (55.3%) from nuclear families (91.4%) who received relatively high pocket money. The main sources of drug exposure were non-family members (49.7%), especially friends outside school. The most frequent place of initiation was snack bars (33.1%). Conclusion: The study revealed the importance of the family, friends and leisure places in the initiation process of drug use in teenagers. Based on these results, parents and school authorities should work together to create a safe and supportive environment that fosters communication, education to prevent drug abuse among adolescents in Yaoundé.

关 键 词：INITIATORS Drug Users Adolescents Cameroon 

分 类 号：O57[理学—粒子物理与原子核物理]