ArticlePLOS global public health2024
Prevalence and patterns of substance use in West Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in PLOS global public health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pain, policy, and the opioid dilemma in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of access, regulation, and health governance from 1990 to 2024.Health policy and planning · 2026Pooled it
- Psychosocial and cultural dynamics shaping substance use and internet fraud among Nigerian youths.Discover mental health · 2026Article
- Treatment Experiences of Individuals With Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders and Perspectives of Mental Health Workers in Ashanti Region, Ghana.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026Article
- Road safety threats and occupational health risk associated with psychoactive substance use and dependence risk among commercial drivers: WHO ASSIST evidence from Ghana.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Prevalence and factors associated with illicit substance use among persons with Schizophrenia at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Zambia.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Substance use disorder prevalence in Sierra Leone: a sex-disaggregated analysis using the World Health Organization equity data.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2025Article
- Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment training for Nigerian primary care physicians: A pilot evaluation of knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and barriers to implementation.PLOS global public health · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSubstance use is a growing public health concern in West Africa, contributing to significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic challenges. Despite the increasing prevalence, comprehensive data on the patterns and factors influencing substance use in the region remain limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to synthesize existing research on the prevalence and patterns of substance use in West Africa, providing critical insights for developing targeted interventions and policies. METHODOLOGY: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses [PRISMA] guidelines. A systematic search was performed across four major databases [PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus] from January 2000 to June 2024. A total of 22 studies involving 43,145 participants met the inclusion criteria. Multiple reviewers performed data extraction and quality assessment independently, and a random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of various substances. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using a leave-one-out approach to evaluate the influence of individual studies on the overall prevalence.
resultsThe meta-analysis revealed the pooled prevalence rates of alcohol [44%], cannabis [6%], tramadol [30%], codeine [11%], and kolanut [39%]. The analysis identified high heterogeneity across studies [I2 = 98-99%], reflecting diverse substance use patterns and influencing factors, including peer influence, availability of substances, socioeconomic conditions, and demographic characteristics. Sensitivity analysis indicated that no single study significantly impacted the overall prevalence estimates, confirming the robustness of the findings.
conclusionSubstance use in West Africa is widespread and influenced by complex factors. The high prevalence of alcohol and tramadol use highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions, including stricter regulatory frameworks, community-based prevention programs, and comprehensive public education campaigns. This study provides a critical foundation for developing effective strategies to mitigate the escalating substance use crisis in the region.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.