Knowledge of High School Students Regarding Substance Abuse in a Selected School in Kottayam District

Abstract

Substance abuse in various forms is a social problem. Kerala shows a high prevalence in alcoholism and is ranked top in India. A descriptive study was done to assess the knowledge of high school students regarding substance abuse and to determine the association between the knowledge of high school students and baseline variables. The study was conducted in a school at Peruva. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain the baseline variables and to assess the knowledge of students regarding the different types, its ill effects, and management of drug abuse. The findings of the study showed that majority (51%) of them are females, 88% of them are from rural area, and 77% of them belong to nuclear family. The findings regarding knowledge reveal that 53% of them having good knowledge about substance abuse. There is no significant association found between knowledge and baseline variables of the students. The study concluded that the students in this generation are having good knowledge about substance abuse and need further motivation to prevent substance e abuse.