Lived Experience of Substance abuse among addicted Youth in Mekelle City, Northernethiopia: APhenomenologic study.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Background: Substance abuse such as alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs become a public health
concern globally. Despite that substance abuse is associated with negative health, economic and
social outcomes; there is a gap in understanding the reasons and extent of the problem at ground
and realizing the lived experiences of substance addicted youths from their own perspectives.
Therefore, this study was aimed to explore the lived experience of addicted youths on substance
abuse in Mekelle city, Northern Ethiopia.
Methods: Phenomenological qualitative study was conducted from March 20 up to April 30,
2019 among 15 substances addicted youths in Mekelle city. Youths between 15 -29 years old,
who had been using alcohol, and/or tobacco, chat or any illicit substances and used to live in
Mekelle city residency were purposively selected from a substance rehabilitation center. The
investigator conducted the interviews using semi structured guide through in-depth interview
technique. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated in to English and
finally imported to atlas.ti.7.5 software for coding. Analysis was done inductively. Code book
development, peer debriefing, multiple coders and member checking were applied to maintain
rigor of the data.
Results: the findings revealed that reasons related to socialization issues with peer pressure at
the center, relief from stress and as energy booster were the main features in the process of
youth’s initiation for substance abuse. Moreover, youths lack of awareness on risks of the
substances, ease access to substances in their neighborhood and being jobless conditions
influenced them to abuse different substances on daily basis. As a result, the youths were
exposed to various risky behaviors including violence and unsafe sexual practices.
Conclusion: Different personal, interpersonal and environmental factors were explored in the
initiation of youths for substance abuse. Youths experience various problems and their life was
negatively affected as a result. Hence multiple interventions at individual, community and
organizational levels are suggested to tackle the problem in the area.
Description
Keywords
Substance abuse, lived experience, experience, youth, Mekelle