Substance Use Among Adolescents; Antecedents, Consequences And Intention To Quit: The Case Of West Shoa Zone Nono Woreda Silk Amba Town

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to assess the substance abuse among adolescent and to examine the antecedents, consequences and intention to quit among adolescent in west Shoa Nono woreda. The Study design was community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 295 purposively and randomly selected adolescent from towns in West Shoa Zone Nono Worede. Quantitative and qualitative research approcha was deployed to gather and analyze data.Data collection tools of the study were questionnaire and in-depth Interview.The results were analyzed by usingdescriptive statistics and inferential statistics (chi- square and multivariate regression analyses). The results of the study revealed that the most commonly abused substances are: 81.2% chewing khat, 73% consumption of alcohol, and 47% smoking of shisha, and 15% smoke cigarettes. Alongside, the study indicated, most of the adolescents‟ abuse more thanone substance at the same time. Khat and alcohol were the highly abused substances by theadolescent.There was no statistically significant association between gender, adolescent place of origin, and substance use, level of significance at P>0.05.The finding shows male adolescent exposed to the problem than that of the female adolescent. Astatistically significant association was found insociodemographic variablessuch as family parenting style and the reason adolescent continue substance abuse at P<0.05 level. Beside, peer pressure 61.4%, availability of substance 43.7%, media influence 29%and lack of employment has been found playing aprofound influence for substance abusing behavior. The main consequence of substance abuse responded by theadolescent was encountering role engagement, physical, financial, psychological, social and behavioral problems.From this finding, it is possible to conclude that, substance abuse is acritical problem among adolescents; however their intention to stop is high. But there are different factors that accounted for adolescenst continue substance abuse, sever health problem and reason to continue and initiation to quit is statistically significant factors. Based on the findings of thestudy, recommendation was made; for family, government and no-government organization and religious leader.