The Causes and Challenges of Students’ Drug Abuse in Higher Learning Institutions: a Comprehensive Review of Related Literature

Abstract

Abstract

A number of studies have been carried out on the prevalence of drug addiction by college and/or university students. However, little literature has been attempted to comprehensively indicate the challenges of drug use among university students, strategies utilized to overcome the challenges and implications of the challenges for integrated prevention and intervention approaches. Thus, the objective of this comprehensive review of the literature was to assess and organize the literature on the challenges of substance abuse among university students and seek out alternative solutions that have implications for Adama Science and Technology University (ASTU) and beyond. The literature has been organized on the prevalence of drug abuse among college/university students’ worldwide and specifically Ethiopian universities. Some criteria were set to review the most relevant local and international studies that are rigorous in design, adequate sample size, vigilant sample selection procedures and those which have utilized data gathering instruments with high validity and reliability. The findings from the literature indicated that there is a high prevalence of drug abuse among university students worldwide and in Ethiopia. The problem is attributed to economic, social, psychological and health factors that demand integrated prevention and intervention approaches.

Keywords: Prevalence, drug abuse, university, students.