Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: March | Volume: 8 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 199-205
The Level of Awareness and Attitude on Ill-Effects of Substance Abuse among Adolescent Students in Selected High Schools at Belgaum District, India
Divya T1>, Radhakrishnan G2, Anu Chithra S3
1Department of Nursing, Cancer Institute (WIA), Chennai, India
2College of Nursing, NIMHANS, Bangalore, India
3College of Nursing, Rajiv Gandhi Health Science, Bangalore, India
Corresponding Author: Divya T
ABSTRACT
Adolescents are a positive force of a nation and are responsible for its future productivity. Adolescents are those in the age group of 10-19 years which constitute over 23% of the population in India. Adolescence’s period of nature is exploration and exploitation. In both developed and developing countries, adolescents face overwhelming problems such as early pregnancy, substance abuse, and violence is making them more vulnerable to life-threatening disease condition. The study population (N=320; M=75; F=245) comprised of adolescents in the age group of 12-18 years studying in selected high schools in Belgaum district, Karnataka. In the first stage, schools are identified using simple random sampling method and in the second stage, adolescent students are selected using convenient sampling method. Structured interview questionnaire used to collect the data prepared by the investigator. The questionnaire includes awareness regarding addictive substances, substance abuse, physical effects of substance abuse, psychological effects of substance abuse, social effects of substance abuse and treatment modalities. 5 point Likert scale used to assess the attitude. Overall awareness regarding ill effect of substance abuse was 43%. Sixty seven percentages of adolescent’s students had favorable attitude expressed towards the negative effects of substance abuse. There was positive correlation (r=0.4524) between awareness and attitude among adolescent students on ill effects of substance abuse. The adolescents’ students had average awareness and favorable attitude towards substance abuse found in the study. The study suggests that need of strategies and intervention to enhance the awareness and attitude among younger population.
Key words: Awareness regarding ill effects of substance abuse, effects of substances, attitude of adolescents.