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Psychoactive substance use disorders among females in northern Nigeria: Findings of a five-year descriptive survey at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri


Abdu Wakawa Ibrahim
Sadique Kwajafa Pindar
Falmata Baba Shetma
Anthony Ali Mshelia
Mary Olubisi Amodu
Babagana Kundi Machina
Ogualili Placidus

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine a five-year prevalence trend of substance use disorders and the modes of presentaton of female drug users in North-Eastern Nigeria. It was a retrospectve, cross sectonal study in which sociodemographic, clinical and drug-related data of 2,731 clients who were atended to, at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri over a fve year period were extracted from their clinical records. The overall prevalence of psychoactve substance use disorders among the female partcipants was 9.3% [n = 253] with rising rates from 8.2% in 2012 to 12.2% in 2016, and The prevalence trend shows a statstcally signifcant change (χ2 = 51.764, p = < 0.001). One hundred and sixty fve [65.2%, 95% C.I. = 45.81 - 79.45] met the ICD-10 diagnostc criteria for dependence. Codeine-containing cough syrup, 73 [28.8%, 95% C.I. = 22.18 - 42.27], and Tramadol, 41 [16.2%, 95% C.I. = 10.24 - 25.18] were the commonest substances of abuse. Most of them were either compelled by relatves, 103 [40.71, 95% C.I. = 29.46 - 53.17] or were accidentally found to be using drugs at presentaton, 58 [22.92, 95% C.I. = 15.75 - 28.93]. Based on these outcomes, the design and adaptaton of culturally appropriate and gender-specifc educatonal programmes and stgmareducton strategies, are recommended.

Keywords: Psychoactve substance use, Females, North-Eastern Nigeria


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eISSN: 1531-4065
print ISSN: 1531-4065