African Journal of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (AJADA)
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Extent of Heroin Use in Kenya
Full text linkDrug use around the world has been on the rise, in terms of both overall numbers and the proportion of the world’s population that uses drugs. In 2009, the estimated 210 million users represented 4.8 per cent of global population aged 15 64, compared with the estimated 269 million users in 2018, or 5.3 per cent of the population (UNODC, 2020). In Kenya, seizure and prevalence data shows that heroin is second most widely used narcotic drug after cannabis. Implementation of interventions on supply and demand reduction targeting heroin users has focused primarily on the traditionally known hotspots of Coast and Nairobi regions. However, given the dynamic nature of heroin trafficking, the problem of heroin use may be entrenched in other non-traditional counties. Towards understanding the landscape of heroin use in the country, NACADA conducted an assessment to establish whether there were any new emerging counties with the problem of heroin use. Suspected samples were collected in the 8 regions of Kenya stratified across 18 purposively sampled counties. They were submitted to the Government Chemist for analysis and identification
Student Perceptions on Factors and Effect of Drug and Substance Abuse: : A Case of United States International University - Africa
Full text linkThe main objective of the study was to explore students’ perceptions on drug and substance abuse at USIU-AFRICA. Specifically, the study sought to investigate factors influencing drug and substance abuse and find out the effect of drug and substance abuse on university students. The study adopted mixed method approach. Multistage sampling was used to get representation from all the five schools within the university. In each school, 30% of the programmes was computed and rounded off to the nearest whole number. Simple random sampling was used to pick the number of courses in progrmmes. Snowball sampling technique was used to identify the drug and substance users who were targeted for focus group discussions. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data was analyzed using common theming method. The study established that major factors influencing drug and substance abuse family background and upbringing. In terms of influence of drugs and substances, the results indicated that substance abuse impair student judgement, affect quality of sleep, and lower the performance of students both in class and outside class. The study recommended a turn round strategy by the university in dealing with drug and substance abuse to improve students’ performance, their retention and completion rates to graduate with their respective degrees in their areas of specialization. 
Sociodemographic, clinical profile and the association with retention in treatment among patients receiving methadone treatment in Nairobi, Kenya
Full text linkOpioid use disorder is a common condition worldwide and is associated with a significant disease burden. There is limited research on factors that influence retention in methadone treatment in Kenya. This study aimed to assess patients’ sociodemographic and clinical profiles and the association of these factors with retention in methadone treatment at a clinic in Nairobi. This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design that involved retrospective abstraction of data from records of patients on methadone treatment. The data collected included: sociodemographic variables and clinical profiles of patients. The mean age was 32.9 (17-71) years, and 92.8% were males, of which 54% were actively retained in treatment. Ninety-nine percent used heroin at the start of treatment with predominant polysubstance use and early age of onset of substance use. Depressive symptoms were reported by 4.9%, anxiety symptoms by 3.2%, suicidal thoughts by 9.5%, violent behavior by 17.1%. Fifty-four patients were currently being treated for comorbid psychiatric illnesses. Physical abuse was reported by 51.7%, emotional abuse by 55.1%, and sexual abuse by 2.1%. Factors associated with retention in treatment were occupation, treatment duration, outpatient treatment attendance before starting methadone treatment, and continued use of opioids and cannabis during methadone treatment. Most participants receiving care at the methadone clinic have early onset of susbstance use and polysubstance use and, as such, are likely to present with numerous medical and psychiatric co-morbidities. Understanding the sociodemographic characteristics and treatment outcomes for clients on methadone treatment can guide opioid use prevention and treatment interventions both in schools and in the communities. Further studies are needed to identify and respond to barriers that clients on methadone treatment face that hinder the realization of positive treatment outcomes. 
Does Family Structure Predispose Youth to Drug Use: The Case of Kajiado County, Kenya
Full text linkThere is evidence suggesting that drug use among the youth is common and has extensive effects on their social, health and economic lives. It is critical that this issue be addressed by understanding the factors that are associated with drug use in order to guide the development of targeted prevention programs. Family factors can either increase the risk or protect the youth from drug use. There is need to understand how family factors such as the structure of the family influence drug use among the youth. Guided by the structural family model this study sought to find out the relationship between family structure and drug use among youth in Kajiado County, Kenya. The study used the correlation study design and targeted youth between ages 10-25. To obtain the sample of 356 respondents, a multi-stage sampling procedure was used. Data was collected using a questionnaire, assessing family structure and drug use patterns. The chi square test was used to analyze the data. According to the findings, there were significant differences in recent, current and daily drug use between youth from double-parent and single-parent families, with those from single-parent families having the highest rates. These findings suggest that NACADA, youth organizations and other mental health practitioners concerned with drug use among youth should design drug use prevention programs that target youth from single-parent families who seem to be at a higher risk than their counterparts from double-parent families
Substance Use, Emerging Substances and Poly Drug Use among Undergraduate Students in Universities in Kenya
Full text linkThere is an increase in the use of substances and the peak levels of substance use are seen among young people aged between 18-25. Substance use presents a barrier to learning, it impairs cognitive ability and distorts judgment. There is limited information on the magnitude of substance use and a countrywide study has not been conducted to determine the extent of substance use, emerging substances and poly drug use among undergraduate students in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of substance use, emerging substances and poly drug use among the undergraduates in Kenya. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. The target population was 451,081 undergraduate students, where 390,456 were in public and 60,625 in private chartered universities. The sample size was 1,500 participants selected from seven public and five private universities, from ten counties across the country. A World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire - Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) was used to determine the extent of substance use, poly drug use and emerging substances among the undergraduate students. The key substances were alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and shisha among others. The findings revealed prevalence of lifetime substance use of 48.6% and the prevalence of current use of 37.9%. Public universities (M=.48, SD= .50) had higher prevalence of current use than private universities (M=.26, SD= .43) with t (1435) = 8.94, p<.05. Alcohol was the most commonly used substance and shisha was an emerging substance. Poly drug use was reported at 162 (11.3%) among the current users. The prevalence of substance use is high. There is a need for universities to develop and implement interventions for the emerging substances and poly drug use to mitigate the potential risk of developing substance use disorders
Prevalence and Risk of Alcohol Use among Palliative Care Patients in Kenya: : Case Study of Coast Region
Full text linkAlcoholism is a health concern in the general public, which is likely to affect special populations including those in palliative care settings. Alcohol use among Persons Living with Palliative Care Needs (PLWPCNs) can pose a major challenge in pain and symptom management. However, the frequency of alcohol use in this population is under-recognized and has not been adequately addressed in Kenya. The study aims to assess the risk factors and frequency of alcohol consumption among PLWPCNs; as well as determine the effects of alcohol use among patients and families in outpatient palliative care settings in Kenya. Information of 150 patients referred to the outpatient hospice facility in the Coast region of Kenya was retrospectively reviewed. Additionally, an interview schedule was administered to the hospice care providers to determine the prevalence and risk factors of alcohol use among the patients. The results indicated that the majority of the participants were using alcohol. The study recommends appropriate assessment for risk of current or past alcoholism as well as the use of comprehensive interventions to improve the quality of life of these patients and their familie
Socio-Economic and Health Consequences of Drugs and Substance Use in Gachie: : A Peri-Urban Town on the Outskirts of Nairobi
Full text linkDrug and substance abuse is a major socioeconomic and health problem to the drug users, family and society and is reported to be on a steady global rise. In Kenya, drug abuse is a major societal problem especially in many cosmopolitan cities such as Nairobi and Mombasa and the surrounding immediate environs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the types of drugs, the socio-economic and health consequences of drug abuse among the inhabitants of Gachie Sub-Location, Kiambu County a town within the Nairobi suburbs. A snowballing sampling method was used to recruit a total of 246 study participants aged between 15-65years recruited into the study after consenting and meeting drug and substance use and dependence clinical evaluation according to UNCOPE criteria. Data on the type of drugs abused, socio-economic and health implications of drug use on both drug abusers and the community was captured using a structured questionnaire and the resulting data analysed using SPSS version 21. Over-the counter prescription drugs including, benzodiazepine, Cozepam (“ma-cc”), rohypnol (“ma-blue”), and benzhexol (“ma-white”) as well as the traditional heroine were the major abused drugs reported in the study. Approximately 85% of the sampled drug abusers were men abusing mainly the licit over- the counter prescription drugs and heroine as a result of their easy affordability and accessibility. Failed marriages, conflictual family and communal relationships, unemployment, life of destitution and poverty were the main socioeconomic consequences of drug abuse reported in the study, corroborating reports of some previous studies. Participants’s self-reported feeling of hyperactiveness and euphoria was the major health consequence repoted. This study thus indicates that drug use is slowly creeping into rural areas in the vicinity of major towns with prescription over the counter drugs taking a centre stage than the traditional hard drugs due to the associated low costs, availability and accessibility and can result in myriad socioeconomic consequences in the society. This data provides an insight of the spread of drugs from the traditional cities to the surrounding town environments as these areas provide a safe haven for drug peddlers and thus should be of great focus by drug law enforcers as they strategize and seek to curb drug abuse problem. Future similar studies involving larger area are recommended to acquire more dynamics of this proble
Candy Consumption: : An Inquiry on the Candy Crush Hypothesis
Full text linkCandy is eaten by people of all ages and all genders. Candy eating behavior can be that, with conscious efforts to lick it to finish, the eater may repeatedly crush it instead. This study examined what could be responsible for candy crushing despite the desire to lick it. A survey design is employed to understand this through questionnaire administered via WhatsApp and Facebook targeting anyone aged two and older across the globe. There were 212 respondents. The data was analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Results show the prevalence of 89.6% of candy eating across age groups. Majority of the candy eaters put the whole candy in the mouth at once and start by licking and uncontrollably end up crushing it. About a quarter of the candy eaters indicated powerlessness over crushing candy. And the candy crushing can be hypothesized to be due to brain chemical ‘dopamine’ stimulated by sugar hijacking the decision-making/willpower part of the brain in the frontal lobe. It is recommended that neurological study be conducted to investigate what overrides willpower to not crush candy. This may shed more lights to understanding why people are addicted to certain substance
Effectiveness of Treatment and Rehabilitation Programs for Drug and Substance Dependence in Mombasa County, Kenya
Full text linkDrug and substance abuse is a major public health problem worldwide especially in developing countries with Kenya being among the most affected countries in Africa. Research reveals high prevalence of substance use in the country with Mombasa leading in the Coast region. The associated detrimental effects in almost every aspect of life development necessitates for effective prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. An effective treatment should respond to mental, medical, legal, financial and family needs. The study strived to examine the effectiveness of treatment and rehabilitation programs for drug and substance dependence in Mombasa County, Kenya. A cross-sectional design was employed to evaluate three facilities with a sample size of 80 participants. Data was collected using questionnaires, in-depth interview and observation. Descriptive analysis was used for quantitative data while qualitative data was analysed thematically with logistic regression and paired sample t-test at CI 95% and p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Findings revealed the programs had both pharmacological and non-pharmacological services with management of co-morbidities reported at 57.7% and vocational training (15.4%). Most of the service providers (80.8%) were trained on counselling. A 38.9% relapse rate was ascertained and among the associated factors was not being in support groups (OR=3.25, p-0.04). The programs were effective in improving the health, social and legal problems associated with substance use. It was established that the programs were mainly offering open access services and adhering to the recommended National and International Standards of substance use treatment. However, the study found that relapse rate was still high which is in line with other previous studies done in the Country. The study recommends the County government to establish a structured treatment facility and incorporate vocation training in recovery plan to ensure meaningfully engagement of the substance users and avoid idleness
Efficacy of Peer-led Interventions on Substance Use among Female Undergraduate Students in Universities in Nairobi County, Kenya
Full text linkSubstance use has been on the rise among undergraduate students in universities in Kenya. This has raised concerns bearing in mind that universities in Kenya have put in place psychosocial interventions in a bid to address the menace. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of peer-led intervention programmes on substance use among female undergraduate students in universities in Nairobi County. The study was guided by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. An expost facto research design was employed in the study. The target population comprised of all female students in universities in Nairobi County. Proportionate random sampling technique was employed to select the sample. A sample of 351 female undergraduate students was selected for the study from a target population of 40,647 female undergraduate students. One (1) student counsellor from each of the 16 universities in Nairobi County also participated in the study. A semi-structured research questionnaire and an interview guide was used to facilitate collection of data. The content and face validity of the research instrument was determined by research experts in the School of Education at Laikipia University. The questionnaire was pilot-tested in one public and one private university in Machakos County, Kenya prior to its use in the main study with the view of determining its reliability. Cronbach’s alpha was used to estimate the reliability of the research instrument which yielded a coefficient greater than .7. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, null hypothesis was tested using simple linear regression analysis at .05 level of significance. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically. The study findings established that universities encouraged peer to peer counselling managed by peer leaders with the peer leaders first trained on substance use and the adverse consequences of substance use.