Prevalence and correlates of substance use by Egyptian school youth

Abstract

Aims: Substance use among Egyptian youth is an emerging public health problem, yet there is a paucity of information on the prevalence and correlates of these behaviors. To address this gap, we conducted surveys at 25 schools in Egypt in 2013 and 2014. Design:We calculated associations between substance use prevalence and age, gender, residence area, living arrangement, and employment status, along with adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).Setting: Cairo region and southern Egypt. Participants: School youth ages 12-18 (N=1,415).Measures: Self-administered survey on the use of cigarettes, waterpipes, alcohol, hashish, bango, heroin, Tramadol, other oral medications, injected substances, and glue/petrol sniffing; together with the amount and frequency of each substance used and age at initiation, in addition to demographic characteristics.Findings: Seventy-two percent of participants were male. Tobacco and cannabinoids were the most commonly used substances by both genders. Males reported smoking cigarettes (25%), waterpipes (15%), and hashish (6%), drinking alcohol (16%), and taking Tramadol (3%). Younger age (12-14 years) and residence outside of Cairo were somewhat protective. Among males, but not females, having a job increased the odds of smoking cigarettes (OR = 1.8, 95% CI [1.3, 2.6]), waterpipes (OR = 1.9, 95% CI [1.2, 2.9]), or hashish (OR = 2.0, 95% CI [1.1, 3.7]). Conclusions:These findings, consistent with reports from other countries, can inform the design and direct the resources of future public health programs targeting adolescents to prevent the onset of substance use and ultimately addiction in Egypt and elsewhere.

Circumstances of substance use by street youth in Egypt support the case for intervening to prevent adverse childhood experiences

“…Further, key findings from the analysis of street youth interviews were compared to corresponding items that were collected for the previously reported survey among Egyptian school youth (Loffredo et al 2017).…”

“…In this review of 50 studies from 22 countries, the authors found that little is known about the risk factors behind street youth initiation and subsequent transition to addiction (Embleton et al 2013). Indeed, several investigators (Van Ryzin et al, 2012;Liao et al, 2013;Aslam et al, 2014;Loffredo et al, 2017) examined the correlates of substance use by surveying schoolchildren. Studies of the contributing risk factors to initial substance use and addiction are paramount to developing prevention interventions (UNDOC, 2016); yet few studies were performed among street youth.…”

The Effect of Life Skills Intervention on Social Self Efficacy for Prevention of Drug Abuse Among Young Adolescent Students at Benha City

“…In total, 59% of the students who used substance had either drug-related problems or dependence while Egyptian young adolescent school males ages 12-18 who reported smoking cigarettes were (25%), water pipes (15%), hashish (6%), drinking alcohol (16%), and taking Tramadol (3%). [18,19] Young adolescent must be equipped with life skills for social confidence, self-management, and protection against drug use to deflate the challenges of substance abuse. Asserted that socially confident children are more academically successful and poor social skills are a strong predictor of academic failure.…”

“…The subscale items are summed to produce total scores. Items for efficacy in conflict situations subscale are 1,4,6,10,11,13,15,17,19,21. Items for the nonconflict situations subscale are 2, 3,5,7,8,9,12,14,16,18,20,22.…”

“…Public health programs should be directed targeting adolescents to prevent the onset of substance use and ultimately addiction in Egypt and elsewhere. [10,11] The adolescent has to prepare for a global successful adult life of competition and independent functioning which is possible only through enhancing their psychosocial competencies through life skills training. As a health care provider, the school nurse is in a unique position to act as health educator, a change agent for youth substance abuse prevention.…”