KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION, PREVALENCE AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ABUSE OF OPIOIDS AMONG STUDENTS OF POLYTECHNIC OF IBADAN, IBADAN, OYO STATE

Abstract

Opioids crisis is a growing public health concern globally. While several studies have been carried out on drug abuse in general, little has been done to assess the increase in opioid crisis in Nigeria. This study aims to investigate the pattern of opioid abuse among students of Polytechnic of Ibadan, Oyo state. A cross-sectional design was employed using self-administered questionnaires, which comprised of five sections, adapted from the WHO student drug-use survey tool. The sample size (361) was calculated using Leslie Kish formula and a four-stage sampling technique was used to select the respondents. A 20-point knowledge scale and 7-point perception scale, categorised into poor (0– 7), fair (>7–14), and good (>14) knowledge and negative (0–3) and positive (4–7) perception, respectively, were used in the study. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics at 5% level of significance using SPSS version 20. The mean age of the respondents was 21.1±2.7 years. There were more male (57.3%) respondents and the predominant religion and ethnicity were Christianity (62.6%) and Yoruba (79.5%), respectively. Most of the respondents had fair knowledge (78.4%) while 56.5% had negative perception of opioid abuse. The lifetime use of any drug was 16.9%. The lifetime nonmedical use of codeine syrup, dihydrocodeine, and cocodamol was 14.4%, 13.5%, and 13.0%, respectively while the past-year was 13.6%, 10.0%, and 12.7%, respectively. The lifetime, past-year, and past-month use of tramadol was 11.4%, 10.0%, and 9.4%, respectively. The most common reasons for lifetime use of codeine syrup was to feel good (28.8%). Others include to gain energy (15.4%), to have fun (9.6%), to gain confidence (7.7%), and to have sex (5.4%). Enhancement of sexual performance was the most common reason for the lifetime use of tramadol (31.7%). Other reasons include curiosity (12.2%), for fun (9.8%), to feel good/high (9.8%), for sport activities (7.3%), for strength/energy (4.9%), and so on. The age of onset of opioid abuse was 15–19 years (codeine) and >20 years (tramadol). Most of the respondents involved in opioid abuse were introduced to it by friends/peers (codeine [42.5%]; tramadol [56.1%]) and 47.5% of the opioid users have used other drugs. Parental marital status (p=0.005) and ethnicity (p=0.008) had a statistically significant association with the respondent’s perception of opioid abuse. Perception of opioid abuse and exposure to the promotion of opioid abuse in songs/videos were significantly associated with nonmedical use of opioids. Other factors that contributed significantly to lifetime use of codeine syrup include curiosity, family influence, peer pressure, and socioeconomic status of respondent’s parents (p<0.05), while sexual satisfaction, curiosity, illegal importation, and ignorance of the dangers of opioids (p<0.05) contributed significantly to tramadol abuse. Logistic regression model indicated that the coefficient of perception of opioid abuse is a significant predictor of nonmedical use of codeine and tramadol (p<0.05). Respondents had fair knowledge and negative perception of opioid abuse; hence, public enlightenment is needed as a strategy to curb the menace of opioid crisis, as well as enforcement of policies regulating promotion of opioids in songs/videos.