Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40016999›Full record

SynthesisAddiction (Abingdon, England)2025

A systematic review and meta-analysis of factors associated with adolescent substance use in Africa, 2000 to 2020.

Sandra Jumbe, Tony Mwenda Kamninga, Ukwuori-Gisela Kalu, Joel Nyali, Lara Saleh, Chris Newby, Joel Msafiri Francis

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Addiction (Abingdon, England), 2025. 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.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sandra JumbeSchool of Social and Health Sciences, Millennium University, Blantyre, Malawi.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6624-1689
Tony Mwenda KamningaSchool of Social and Health Sciences, Millennium University, Blantyre, Malawi.
Ukwuori-Gisela KaluSchool of Social and Health Sciences, Millennium University, Blantyre, Malawi.
Joel NyaliSchool of Social and Health Sciences, Millennium University, Blantyre, Malawi.
Lara SalehCentre for Evaluation and Methods, Wolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
Chris NewbyThe Medical School, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Joel Msafiri FrancisDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1902-2683

Funding

African Academy of SciencesEuropean Union DCI-PANAF/2020/420-028Queen Mary University of London
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

aimsAdolescent substance use is a growing public health concern in Africa, yet little is known about the contextual factors of substance use among young African populations. This systematic review identified factors associated with substance use among adolescents (aged 10-19 years) in Africa.

methodsThis review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. We searched six databases (from January 2000 to December 2020): PubMed, Cochrane Library, African Journals Online (AJOL), Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and World Health Organization (WHO) African Index Medicus. We included population-based observational studies reporting on factors associated with adolescent substance use across Africa. Study screening was conducted by at least four independent reviewers who resolved discrepancies through discussion and consensus. All included studies were analysed in a narrative synthesis. Studies providing sufficient statistics, i.e. three or more reporting the same outcome and exposure/predictor, were included in meta-analyses.

resultsSixty-three peer reviewed studies that were full text accessible were included. The majority were cross-sectional surveys. Factors associated with adolescent substance use identified were linked to individual, family, socioenvironmental and non-familial social networks determinants. Results from both the narrative synthesis and meta-analysis revealed that being male and an older adolescent were significantly associated with adolescent substance use. Combined odds ratio (OR) of males who currently smoke compared with females was 1.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.37-2.39; 6 studies, 13 443 participants, I

conclusionMultiple factors that operate on individual, family and societal levels influence adolescent substance use in Africa. Key factors of adolescent substance use in Africa appear to include being male, being an older adolescent and being exposed to peer substance use.

Indexed as

Adolescent BehaviorSubstance-Related DisordersAdolescentAfricaChildFemaleHumansMaleRisk FactorsSex FactorsYoung AdultadolescentAfricafactorsmeta‐analysissubstance usesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40016999
PMCPMC12046489

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.