Substance Use Disorders And Rehabilitation Among Youth In Ghana And Effects On The Family

Thumbnail Image

Date

2022-10

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University Of Ghana

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Substance use disorders (SUDs) is a chronic, relapsing brain disorder that is characterized by compulsive seeking and use of addictive substances. SUDs among the youth continue to be a global public health concern. Treatment of SUDs places a heavy burden on public health systems. This study assessed the factors associated with substance use disorders and examine the effects and cost burden of SUDs and drug rehabilitation on families in Ghana. METHODS The study used an embedded concurrent mixed-method design. It was conducted among 101 participants drawn from four (4) drug rehabilitation centres in the Greater Accra and Eastern Regions of Ghana, from December 2018 to February 2019. The quantitative component relied on a matched case-control design. One hundred and one (101) cases were enrolled from the only existing rehabilitation centres in Ghana, whereas 303 controls consisted of persons living in the same community as the cases but who had never used substances. A closed-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were used for face-to-face quantitative and qualitative data collection. Quantitative data were analysed using STATA version 15, and qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach. The cost burden of substance use rehabilitation was calculated by summing the direct and indirect costs of managing drug users. The student t-test and one-way ANOVA test were used to compare average costs. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done to test statistical relationships between outcome and observed explanatory variables. Statistical significance was set at a p-value of 0.1%, 1% and 5%. RESULTS Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that sex, age, highest educational level, employment status, residential status, and friendship with drug users had a statistically significant association with SUDs. Male participants had 1.5 (95% CI:1.2-2.5, p=0.001) times higher odds of SUDs than female participants. Participants aged above 20 years had lower odds of substance use disorders compared to those aged below 20 years (p<0.01). The estimated average household cost of rehabilitation was GHS 4,445.60 per month. The mean monthly indirect cost incurred by urban substance users (472.1 } 196.40) was statistically significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of rural substance users (181.2 } 100.30). Of 101 family members of substance users, 57.4% experienced a high intangible burden. Overall, the mean UNODC standard rehabilitation compliance was 3.0 ( }0.0), signifying that the compliance standards at the rehabilitation facilities were inadequate. CONCLUSION Males, rural dwellers and younger age have a higher risk of SUDs. Hence public health strategies must target such vulnerable groups. To reduce the high-cost burden associated with the rehabilitation of substance users, the government and stakeholders must subsidize rehabilitation registration costs which contribute more than half of the economic burden of rehabilitation. KEYWORDS: Substance use disorder, drug abuse, rehabilitation, youth, economic cost, Ghana.

Description

PhD. Public Health

Keywords

Substance Use Disorders, drug abuse, rehabilitation, Ghana

Citation

Endorsement

Review

Supplemented By

Referenced By