SOCIAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO STUDENTS’ SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN DIRE DAWA UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to asses Social Factors Contributing to Students’ Substance Abuse in Dire Dawa University .This study employed descriptive survey Research design. The participants of the study were 383 students and 9 key informants. The stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques administered to select students and key informants respectively. The data were collected by questionnaire, interview and document review. The data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, binomial logistic regression and narrative description. The finding of the study revealed that 66.6% of respondents abused substance. Male students were highly abuse substance than female students. Besides, khat was highly abused substance. Majority of the respondents abuse substance usually. In addition, the study revealed that substance abuse was a leading factor toward illicit drug abuse. Furthermore, the study indicated that social factors such as family substance abuse history, peer pressure, availability of substance in close distance around the campus and social acceptance of substance abuse were highly predictor of substance abuse among students. The availability of substance had mutual side effect on community and students at the same time. In firsthand, the easily accessibility of substance were increased the students substance abuse habit whereas the students with substance abuse were easily imitated by the youngster from the outside community. Therefore the study, recommend the city administration and other stakeholders should have to design regulatory law to avoid substance selling out of substances around the campus with close distance and further study should have to conduct on illicit drug abuse.