Drug use and its association with deviant behaviour among rural adolescent students in South Africa

To examine prevalence of drug use in adolescent students in a rural South African community, and to measure the association between drug taking and deviant behaviour.

Cross-sectional survey using self-administered questionnaires.

Seven middle and secondary schools in Moretele District, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

A random sample of 357 rural students comprising 193 (54.1%) females and 164 (45.9%) males, aged 11.7 to 19.9 years (mean age = 15.8; SD = 21.99).

Self-reported use of drugs. The prevalence of bullying, absenteeism and weapon-carrying among respondents who had used substances was determined.

Responses were obtained from 357 Grade 7-12 students. Alcohol was the most commonly used drug by the respondents. Reported lifetime prevalence of alcohol use was 47.9% (95% CI: 42.6-53.2%); tobacco, 18.2% (95% CI: 14.4-22.7%), inhalants, 5.9% (95% CI: 3.8-9.0%); cannabis 5.6% (95% CI: 3.5-8.7%). Reported use of mandrax (3.9%), tranquillizer (3.6%) and cocaine (1.4%) was low. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that being male (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.21; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-3.36; p = 0.002), initiating alcohol use before the age of 13 years (AOR: 2.25; 95% CI: 1.15-4.40; p = 0.018) and alcohol use were associated with absenteeism. Alcohol use, irrespective of the duration and being a male (AOR: 3.51; 95% CI: 1.50-8.20) was associated with bullying. The significant factors associated with weapon carrying were alcohol, male sex and initiating alcohol use before 13 years of age.

Drug use, particularly alcohol is common among adolescent students, especially males. There is also a positive association between drug use and undertaking precarious behaviour.