Risk Factors and Negative Impacts of Substance Abuse among Adolescents and Youths: The Case of Ejaji Town Ilu Galan Woreda, West Shoa Zone

Abstract

Substance abuse is a global public health problem with physical, social, psychological, economic, and health implications. In today's world, substance abuse is a very serious issue that is destroying the lives of millions of people in both the teenage and general public. Especially adolescent and youths are very vulnerable by this problem. The general Objective of this study is to assess risk factors and negative impacts of substance abuse among adolescents and youths of Ejaji town Ilu Galan Woreda, West Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. The study was community based Descriptive study design and used mixed research approach that is used both quantitative and qualitative research approach. From the different variety of sampling techniques, the researcher was employed non-probability sampling technique. Under this purposive and snowball technique was used. Thus, Sample sizes for this study were 138.Data was collected by using Questionnaire, in depth interview method, and focus group discussion method. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS by using Descriptive statistics to examine the frequency and percentage and qualitative data were employed thematic analysis to extract meanings out of the texts manually. The findings of this research stated that Major types of substance/s abused by adolescents and youths in Ejaji town are: khat, alcohol, Cigarette, shisha. Another findings of this study was risk factors that influence adolescents and youths of Ejaji town are: Out of curiosity, Peer pressure, Frustrations and stress at home, , mass media, Increased availability of Substance/s at everywhere, Poor parent child relationship, Poor parental control, absence of drug police, mass/ social media and advertisement, family substance/s use.. Other findings of this study were negative Impacts of substance abuse related to psychological, social, work/performance, health/physical, economical/legal problems. Thus based on the results recommendations were given to the concerned body such as Ejaji town health office, women and children office, court house, youth and sport office, GO, and NGO, community leaders need to work by collaboration with each other to alleviate Ejaji town adolescents and youths substance abuse.