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Background: Substance use is a significant global public health concern, with adolescents facing a particularly elevated risk. Many young individuals explore alcohol and tobacco during adolescence. This substance use is linked to various risky behaviors, including poor academic performance, absenteeism, serious injuries, depression, anxiety, and negative physical health outcomes.
Objective: The study aims to determine the magnitude of substance use and associated factors among adolescents and youth (15-24 years) residing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: This study utilized secondary data sourced from community-based cross-sectional studies conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The original studies used Addis-HDSS as the sampling frame and involved 3035 households. The extracted data was analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26.Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to examine the association between substance use and a set of independent variables while controlling for potential confounders.
Results: Overall prevalence of Substance use was 26.06% (95% CI:0.24-0.28). Older age (19-24) participants (AOR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.92 - 3.15), Males (2.574 (AOR 95% CI: 2.04 - 3.23), being out of school, (AOR=1.72, 95% CI:1.30-2.24), Depression (AOR=1.62,95%CI:1.26-2.08) and Anxiety (AOR=1.303,95%CI:1.01-1.67) had increased odds of substance use. Individuals who reported resilience (AOR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.16 - 0.67) had less odds to engage in substance use than those not resilient.
Conclusion: The study highlighted the highly prevalent use of substances among adolescents. Age, Gender, depression, and anxiety were identified as significant risk factors, indicating a need for targeted interventions to address these vulnerabilities. Further research is warranted to explore the complex interplay of these factors and to develop effective prevention and intervention strategies.
Key words: Adolescents, Youth, Substance use, Alcohol, Smoking, Mental Health |
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