Abstract:
Background: Substance use poses risks for diseases, injuries, and disabilities, ultimately
diminishing quality of life and contributing to violence and socioeconomic challenges. The
escalating habit of substance abuse particularly affects adolescents and young adults globally,
as well as at the national level.
Objective: To determine the prevalence and associated factors of substance use among high
school students enrolled in public high schools in Gulele sub-city in 2023/24 academic year.
Methods: In this study an Institution based Cross sectional study. Multistage cluster sampling
was used and data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. .EPI-INFO
version 7.2.6 were used for data entry and exported to STATA 14 for analysis. Multivariable
logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with substance use based on
the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) with p values less than 0.05.
Results: The life time use of substances was 33.3% (95% CI: 29%–37%) and the current
prevalence of substance use was 29.6% (95% CI: 25%–33%). Having friends who use
substance strongly and Family members substance use positively associated with substance use
with [AOR: 2.73, 95%CI: (1.92,3.54)] and [AOR: 17.11 95%CI: (10.24,28.58)] respectively.
Religiosity was protective against substance use [AOR: 1.89, 95%CI: (1.15,2.63)] among
current substance users.
Conclusions and recommendation: Prevalence of substance use was high among adolescents
and it was positively associated with friends and family substance use and religiosity was a
protective factor. Thus, recommends for collaboration in between, school community, family
and government office to design tailored interventions according to context.
Keywords: Adolescent, Gulele sub-city, Public high school, Prevalence, Substance use