Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Substance Abuse among Commercial Vehicle Drivers in Abakaliki Metropolis

Introduction: Substance abuse, the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol and illicit drugs, presents a significant public health challenge globally and particularly in Nigeria. Substance abuse among commercial vehicle drivers is a significant concern, impacting road safety and public health. This is because psychoactive substances alter mood, behavior, and psychological states, influencing an individual’s decision-making, which can have dire consequences when combined with high-risk activities like driving.
Objective: This study aims to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding substance abuse among commercial vehicle drivers in Abakaliki Metropolis, Ebonyi State.
Materials and methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Four hundred commercial drivers were recruited using a multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire adopted from previous studies.. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.0 Descriptive analysis was summarized using frequency and proportion. Bivariate analysis was done using a chi-squared test to assess the factors associated with the practice of substance abuse. The level of statistical significance was pegged at p < 0.05
Results: Two hundred and ninety four 294 (73%) is aware that driving under the influence of a substance is illegal, 332 (83%) of the respondents has good knowledge of substance abuse, 303 (75.8%) had positive attitude towards substance abuse and 213 (53.8%) use substances to cope with stress. The factors found to be associated with practice of substance abuse are age (χ2 = 9.753, P = 0.008), years of driving experience (χ2 = 14.563, P = 0.001), and park from which the drivers operated (χ2 = 36.707, P = <0.001).
Conclusion: Though there was high level of awareness, good knowledge and positive attitude but reduced proportion of substance use and abuse. Periodic sensitization, monitoring and regulation are recommended

Substance, abuse, knowledge, attitude, practice.

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