Shishupal Thakur 1 , Anupam Parashar 2 , Dineshwar Singh Dhadwal 3 , Anjali Mahajan
BACKGROUND According to UNDCP World Drug Report, the problem of substance abuse in adolescence is fast assuming alarming proportions in both developed and developing nations. Kullu District of Himachal Pradesh has regularly been in media headlines for extensive cannabis cultivation and abuse of other substances. The study was conducted to provide an essential source of information about substance abuse and its correlates in this Himalayan region. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a descriptive school-based cross-sectional study conducted among students (13-19 years) studying in classes 7th to 12th. Multi-stage cluster random design and PPS sampling methodology was adopted. A sample of 3000 students both from rural and urban areas studying in 20 government and private senior secondary schools was selected. An anonymous, pretested, self-administered questionnaire adapted from WHO and ESPAD questionnaires was used to collect relevant information. Statistical analysis was done by entering the data in SPSS. RESULTS The ultimate response rate was 98.5%. Out of the total of 2864 participants, 785 (27.4%; 95%, CI 25.8% to 29.1%) had indulged in substance abuse at least once in their lifetime. Prevalence of current and regular users was 13.8% (95%, CI 12.5% to 15.1%) and 4.1% (95%, CI 3.4% to 4.9%), respectively. Alcohol was the most commonly abused substance among ever users at 18.1% followed by tobacco (17.6%) and cannabis (6.2%). Around 85% of the students perceived indulgence in substance abuse to be harmful for health. The logistic regression model revealed that substance abuse among friends (AOR 5.32), family members (AOR 2.04), inability to spend quality time with parents (AOR 2.44), gender (AOR 1.68) and older age group of 16-19 years (AOR 1.51) were the factors found to be positively associated with substance abuse. CONCLUSION The study has brought out a high prevalence of substance abuse among the students. The participants’ high knowledge about deleterious effects of substance abuse did not translate into any beneficial behavioural change. Hence, scaling up of IEC activities and life skill education focussed on school going adolescents is imperative. Further, the negative influence of family abuse practices and inability to spend quality time with their wards highlights the necessity to include parents in any awareness campaign being planned.
