Griphin Chirambo I hereby declare that this research entitled "Knowledge and Perception of the Risks of Substance Abuse Among Affected Youth Attending St. John of God Church". The study's findings indicated that lack of knowledge and perception of the dangers of substance abuse are not contributing factors to substance abuse among young people.
Knowledge on the da ngers of substan ce abuse. 76
Pe rceptions of the youth on the dangers of s ubstance abuse. 88
D.- AlDS-
HIV -
- INTR ODUCT ION
- BACKGROUND TO THE PROBLEM
- PROBLEM STATEMENT
- PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
- OBJECTIVES
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
- OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS
- THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL
The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge of affected youth and their perception of the dangers of substance abuse. The results of this study will also aid in the development of a curriculum on the dangers of substance abuse.
Perceived
CONCLUSION
In a study of the persons admitted to psychiatric hospitals, Hartfield (1993) found that as much as 50% of the mentally ill population also had a substance abuse problem. This shows that not much effort is being made to help prevent substance abuse.
COCAINE ABUSE
This shows that cocaine causes mental health problems, as the symptoms of a cocaine crash are also the symptoms of mental illness. This shows that with mandrax abuse it is likely that an individual could develop a mental illness.
HEROIN ABUSE
KACHASU ABUSE
MARIJUANA ABUSE
Therefore, in 1850, it was found that marijuana is the main ingredient in the drugs that are known to treat. In a study by Abet (1985), it was found that marijuana was used to facilitate childbirth.
ALCOHOL ABUSE
At the same time, victims may abuse substances to reduce their feelings of guilt or shame, or to help deny their actions. The level of knowledge of the dangers of alcohol abuse among these young people was not assessed, raising questions as to whether or not they knew about the dangers before engaging in the act.
GENERAL EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Knowledge of the dangers of abuse is usually not taken into account when the behavior is initiated. The studies showed that the knowledge of the young people about the dangers of illegal drugs was insufficient (Brook et al., 2000).
CONCLUS ION
Therefore, the study has produced results rich in information about the young people concerned's knowledge and perception of the dangers of drug abuse. For a qualitative design, a theoretical sampling method was used to identify the respondents for the qualitative component of the study. The sample size for the quantitative study is determined by the population of the affected youth.
For the qualitative design, the sample size had to be determined by data saturation, as the theoretical sampling method was used to select the sample. Triangulation helps to give a wider dimension to the study and increases the validity of the study. To triangulate methods, this study used qualitative and quantitative research designs.
It is essential to ensure the reliability and validity of the instrument used in the study.
DATA ANALYSIS
God Community Services to apply for approval to conduct the study at their hospital (see Appendix VIII). Both letters to the Director of Services and to the Ministry of Health in the North were approved to allow the researcher to conduct the study (see Appendix VU and LX). In addition, participants were informed that they would not receive any benefits for participating in the study.
The analysis was guided by both the study's research questions and the theoretical framework used to guide this study. Initially, it was proposed that the study have about 40 participants for the quantitative sample. The sample size for qualitative data was not estimated as the study used theoretical sampling.
Before data collection began, all participants were reminded that participation was voluntary and that participation in the study would not interfere with the treatment they were receiving.
QUANTITATIVE DATA
- Ma rital Status
The results show that marijuana is highly abused by youth in Mzuzu, as 36 (80%) out of 45 participants abused marijuana. Alcohol was found to be the second most common drug abused by youth. Some of the 45 participants in the study reported that they had abused alcohol and among them reported that they were currently still abusing alcohol while they had already stopped abusing alcohol at the time of the study.
The results of the study also showed that of the 45 participants in the study abused both marijuana and alcohol, while one of them abused only alcohol or only marijuana. The results of the analysis showed that the higher a person's education, the less he or she becomes involved in abusing [the local beer (Kachasu), which is very strong and, above all, is. Of these six who abused Kachasu, three (50%) were still using it, while three (50%) had already stopped using it at the time of the survey.
The analysis shows that out of the six youths who abused Kachasu had an educational qualification of standard 8 and below, those who obtained the Junior Certificate of Education (ICE) and I (16.7%) had the Malawi Schools Certificate of Education. (MSCE).
KNOWLEDGE OF THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Among them, 34 (79%) agreed that drug abuse really contributes to the development of mental illness while 9 (20.9%) disagreed. It is also seen from the results that the participants of the study knew that everyone is at risk of developing mental illness when they abuse substances, while they said that they did not know that they were at risk. The results of the study show that out of 45 participants, 39 of them received information about the dangers of drug abuse.
of those who had received information on the risks of substance abuse were not concerned about developing mental illness at the time they started abusing substances, while 4 (10.3%) of them were concerned and 1 (2.6%) neither . The results also show that of the 39 participants who had received information about the dangers of substance abuse, only 22 of them answered the question of whether they were sure they could stop substance abuse or not. The results show that of the 22 participants who responded they were still not sure, were a little sure and 11 (50%) of them were very sure about stopping substance abuse.
The analysis also shows that among the 36 participants who abused marijuana, they realized that marijuana can contribute to the development of mental illness, while 7 (19.4%) did not agree.
PERCEPTIONS OF THE YOUTH ON THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE
- LIKELIHOOD TO ACTION
- SELF EFFICACY
- FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO YO UTH'S ENGAGEMENT IN SU BSTANCE ABUSE
- PERCE PTION OF THE DANGE RS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE The results of the study show that the youth perceived the dangers of substance ab use as
- INTE RPERSONAL AND SITUATIONAL VA RIA BLES
Perceived severity refers to the way the youth who abuse drugs perceive the seriousness of the dangers of drug abuse. The analysis of the results shows that out of 4S participants in the study had previously received information about the dangers of drug abuse and 6 (13.3%) of them had. Almost all of the interviewed participants reported that one of the dangers of substance abuse is that it causes people to develop mental illness.
The findings of the study show that young people have extensive knowledge about the dangers of Both men and women may have the same knowledge about the dangers of substance abuse. In this regard, young people made the decision to start using substances despite having knowledge of the dangers of substance abuse.
Therefore, some of the youth would have received important information about the dangers of substance abuse through the youth support groups. This may mean that apart from the knowledge that the youth may have of the dangers of. This is because they initially had the knowledge of the dangers of drug abuse, but still they went ahead and used it.
PERCEPTIONS OF THE YOUTH ON THE DANGERS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE
On the other hand, religion was found to have an effect on young people's perception of the dangers of substance abuse. Most youth belonged to a religious group that was expected to change their views on the dangers of substance abuse. The results show that they actually had a negative view of the dangers of substance abuse, but nevertheless.
In terms of perceived severity of the problem, the study examines how young people perceive the severity of the dangers of substance abuse. There are many factors that lead young people to use drugs. The study aimed to explore the knowledge and perceptions of affected youth about the dangers of substance abuse.
The findings of the study showed that most affected youth are aware of the dangers of substance abuse.
LIMITATIONS
Qualifications and training standards for mediators of environmental and public order disputes. 1993), Substance abuse and family violence, in. Alcohol and drug use in second year medical students at university or Leeds: Journal of medical education,. Youth who drink spell later Alcohol problems Research Institute on Addiction http://www.alcoholism.about.com.
Smoking marijuana is a holy sacrament in the church of reality, http://www.drugtext.orgllibrary/articleslmazurOl.htm.
DA TA COLLECTION INTSRUMENTS
Ndizosatheka kuti munthu azisuta chamba, kokeni kapena kumwa mowa. N’chifukwa chiyani mukunena za chiwerewere chosuta chamba, kokeni komanso kumwa mowa ngati mandrax? Kusuta chamba, kokeni ndi kumwa mowa pamaso pa mandrax kungakupangitseni kukopa chidwi cha munthuyo.
Siyani kusuta chamba, kokeni komanso kumwa mowa. Moyo wa munthu amene sanasiye kusuta chamba, kokeni ndi kumwa mowa pamaso pa mandrax. Ndizosavuta kugula ndikunyamula ngati wina wasiya kusuta chamba, kokeni komanso kumwa mowa.
Nkosavuta kupeza ntchito ngati munthu wasiya kusuta chamba, kokeni ndi mowa.
PERMISSION LETTERS
KWAZULU-NATAL
RE: REQUEST TO CONDUCT A RESEARCH STUDY AT ST JOHN OF GOD COMMUNITY SERVICES, MZUZU IN MALAWI. I am a student at the University of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa pursuing Masters of Nursing Mental Health. I will conduct a research study on the topic “Knowledge and perceptions of the dangers of drug abuse among the affected youth attending St John of God Community Services in Mzuzu, Malawi.
I would like to request your permission to allow me to conduct this study in the above mentioned hospital. JOHN OF GOD COMMUNITY SERVICES, MZUZU Please help him to carry out his research for academic purposes. Contact your lctter for permission to conduct a restudy on knowledge and perceptions of substance abuse risks among disadvantaged youth attending St.
