Male Students More Likely to Abuse and Become Addicted to Drugs Than Females; A Case Study of Kirinyaga University

Abstract

The use of alcohol and other substances among students at institutions of higher learning impacts negatively on their studies, therefore affecting academic performances. The purpose of this study was to investigate prevalence of alcohol, drugs, other substances use and abuse among students of Kirinyaga University (KyU), categories of drugs used or abused, factors contributing to the use or abuse of the substances, suppliers of the substances, suppliers, impact on performance, memory, extent of addiction to the substances and to propose means of overcoming the challenge. Using a descriptive survey, all registered KyU students (2006) were stratified and systematically sampled using class attendance registers as the sampling frame and programmes as the sampling units. A sample size of 270 (n= 270) was calculated and proportionately allocated to the strata of Degree and Diploma students. Significantly, 34% of male students’ respondents required more of the drugs to get high indicating addiction. Furthermore, there was a significant difference (Chi square value=3.89; p-value =0.048); P<0.05) between the male and female students’ respondents in their requirement for more of the drugs to get high, indicating an increased risk of addiction to the drugs and the other substances. Males student’ respondents were more likely to use or abuse drugs, other substances and also more likely to get addicted than their female student’ counterparts.