Prevalence and Patterns of Substance Use Disorders in Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital, Botswana
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Date
2022Author
Othalefile, Enamasi O
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Background
Substance abuse has risen substantially, especially in developing nations, and has become
one of the world's most significant public health and socioeconomic challenges. This is
especially prevalent in Botswana, where substance abuse among adolescents and mental
health patients has remained a serious public health problem, despite being inadequately
recorded in many situations.
Objectives
The study's goal was to determine the frequency and patterns of drug abuse among patients
at Botswana’s Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital.
Method
At the Sbrana Psychiatric hospital, a descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken among
admitted patients in different wards for a period of 2-3 weeks. The systematic stratified
sampling technique was used for admitted patients in order to acquire a sample size of 101
participants. Patients were approached at their respective wards and the researcher used the
patients register to randomly select patients to take part in the study. The researcher selected
every 2nd patient in order of the names as they appeared in the admission register in each
ward. This was repeated until the number of patients required in a specific ward has been
reached.
Research tools
Patients were screened for substance use disorders using the alcohol, smoking, and substance
involvement screening test (ASSIST) v13.0. Additionally, a structured questionnaire was
utilised to capture the study participants’ demographic characteristics.
Data analysis
Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.0. Descriptive
statistical analysis was used to describe the prevalence, patterns and socio- demographic
characteristics of the participants. Univariate analysis was done with the use of Chi-square
tests to investigate the link between socio-demographic characteristics and SUDS, and
factors found to be significant were subject to multivariate analysis with use of logistical
regression. Statistical significance thresholds were set at p < 0.05.
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Results
A total of 101 psychiatric patients were interviewed. There were more males 59.4% than
females 40.6% who reported having a higher right of substance use, with the age range of 18-
60 years. The most frequently used substances were alcohol at 34.7%, Tobacco 58.4%, and
cannabis 42.6% and cocaine at 12.8%. Significant associations were found between age,
gender, and occupation status and education level for different SUDs.
Conclusion and Recommendations
There is a high prevalence of substance use (85.1%) and substance use disorder (63.4%)
among psychiatric patients. It is highly recommended that public awareness should be
matched with personnel training at institutional health facilities to lay out integrated
interventions that take into account all connected issues, particularly the association of
substance use disorders with diverse psychiatric disorders that every patient in need of
assistance faces.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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