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Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

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Method<br />

Participants. Participants were all students in 11th-grade classes in three<br />

selected sec<strong>on</strong>dary schools in Jos, Nigeria. One was a missi<strong>on</strong> school,<br />

the sec<strong>on</strong>d a Federal Government school, and the third a school run by<br />

the Nigerian army. The missi<strong>on</strong> school was a boys’ day school; the<br />

others were both coeducati<strong>on</strong>al and residential. A total <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 184 students<br />

participated in the study, but five were dropped from the sample because<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> incomplete informati<strong>on</strong>. The final sample, therefore, was comprised <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

179 students (139 males and 40 females) with an average age <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 16 years.<br />

Procedure. A questi<strong>on</strong>naire designed specifically for this study was<br />

given by a trained research assistant to the students to complete in their<br />

classrooms. Permissi<strong>on</strong> to c<strong>on</strong>duct the study was granted by the principal<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> each school. Teachers were not involved in administering the<br />

questi<strong>on</strong>naires. No identificati<strong>on</strong> was required from the students. They<br />

were assured <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> an<strong>on</strong>ymity, and the purpose <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the study was explained to<br />

them. The questi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> abuse <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants emphasized sniffing or huffing<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the listed substances to “get high” or “feel good.” The substances were<br />

materials with volatile solvents, aerosols, and anesthetics. The list was<br />

compiled <strong>on</strong> the basis <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> prestudy findings and informati<strong>on</strong> from the<br />

literature.<br />

Results<br />

Table 4 shows the prevalence <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant abuse in the sample. Onequarter<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the students had used some type <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants at least <strong>on</strong>ce in<br />

their lives; 13.4 percent had used in the past year, and 11.2 percent had<br />

used in the past m<strong>on</strong>th. Significantly more boys (19.3 percent) than girls<br />

(6.4 percent) had “ever used” inhalants (table 5).<br />

The different types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants used by those surveyed are listed in<br />

table 6. The most <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>ten used substances were shoe polish (16.2 percent),<br />

sprays (16.2 percent), petrol (13.4 percent), exhaust fumes (12.3 percent),<br />

and glue (10.6 percent). Average age at first use was 12.4 years; the<br />

earliest age at first use was 9 years.<br />

The types <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalants used in the past year and past m<strong>on</strong>th are shown in<br />

table 7. Petrol and sprays were the two inhalants most comm<strong>on</strong>ly used in<br />

the past m<strong>on</strong>th. Glue, sprays, and petrol were used almost equally in the<br />

past year.<br />

180

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