ArticlePloS one2022
Pattern of substance use and substance use disorder in adolescent learners at public secondary schools in Gaborone, Botswana.
Article in PloS one, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Substance use among young people in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Alcohol use among adolescents in eight sub-Saharan African countries: evidence from the Global School-based student health survey (2012-2017) using the socio-ecological model.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- The relationship between religious beliefs and substance abuse protection self efficacy of high school students.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- The prevalence of tobacco, alcohol, stimulant, khat, and cannabis use among school-going students in African and Arab countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Osong public health and research perspectives · 2025Article
- The mediating role of self-control on the relations between adverse childhood experiences and substance use among adolescents in Uganda.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Psychoactive Substance Use Disorder in HIV-Infected Adolescents in Botswana: A Comparison Between the Congenitally Infected and Behaviorally Infected Adolescents.Substance abuse : research and treatment · 2023Article
- The influence of depressive symptoms and school-going status on risky behaviors: a pooled analysis among adolescents in six sub-Saharan African countries.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2023Article
- Developing an Inpatient Substance Use Disorder Program in a Middle-Income Country: The Experience of Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital, Botswana.Substance use : research and treatmentArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSubstance use amongst adolescents remains a global public health challenge. The potential negative health outcomes of substance use suggest the need to understand the pattern of use and the associated factors among adolescents. This study aimed to describe the prevalence of substance use, SUDs, and PD and the associated factors in adolescent learners at public schools in Gaborone, Botswana.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at 13 public secondary schools in Gaborone among 742 students. Assessment tools included the World Health Organization drug questionnaire, DSM-5 interview for SUD, and the General Health Questionnaire-12.
resultsThe mean age (SD) of the participants was 15.26 (1.57) years, and there were more females (55.5%). Over two-fifths (44.6%) of learners reported psychoactive substance use in the past 12 months, and 31.5% meeting DSM 5 criteria for a SUD. Alcohol was the most used psychoactive substance (25.1%). Male gender (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.26-2.995), having a friend (AOR = 4.27; 95% CI: 2.68-6.78), or father (AOR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.14-3.04), who uses substance, and higher levels of PD (AOR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.03-1.17) remained significantly associated with SUD. Regular participation in religious activities negatively correlated with SUD (AOR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.38-0.96).
conclusionThe high prevalence of substance use and SUDs among in-school adolescents is concerning. Substance use programs need to include family-focused and religious-based therapy and youth empowerment in developing positive peer relationships. Also, they should be integrated with mental health screening to assess comorbid PD.
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