RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE AMONG ADULT PATIENTS ATTENDING THE BEHAVIOURAL MEDICAL UNIT OF KARU GENERAL HOSPITAL, ABUJA, NIGERIA.

Background: Substance use and abuse of psychoactive substances, alcohol, and illicit drugs, result in dependence, crimes, illicit financial flows, corruption, and terrorism/insurgency.

Objectives: To evaluate the risk factors, prevalence, and patterns of substance abuse, among adult patients attending the Behavioural Medical Unit, Karu General Hospital, Abuja; for prevention and early clinical diagnosis.

Method: A hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional study conducted, from March 2022 to May 2022; involving 257 consenting adults, 18 years and above, selected through systematic random sampling. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to achieve all objectives. The Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) assessed the pattern of substance abuse. Data collected were analysed using SPSS version 24. Significance level: p<0.05.

Results: Mean age was 38.5±0.9; males (55.3%). Prevalence was 61.5%. Alcohol was mostly used, then tobacco, cannabis, and opioids at 31%, 15%, 14%, and 14% respectively. Multivariate analysis of the risk factors and pattern of substance abuse showed that gender (p 0.024, OR = 2.061 CI = 1.098 - 3.870), religion (p 0.008 OR = 0.392 CI = 0.197 - 0.781), alcohol intake (p <0.001 OR = 3.576 CI = 1.819 - 7.031), exposure to cigarette/smoking (p <0.001 OR = 4.074 CI = 1.986 - 8.359), having a medical condition (p <0.001 OR 3.309 CI = 1.758 - 6.228) and performance in life (p 0.012 OR 1.899 CI = 1.151 - 3.135) were predictors of substance abuse.

Conclusion: Gender, religion, alcohol intake, exposure to smoke, presence of medical condition, and performance in life were predictors of substance abuse.