Awareness related to possible causative factors and harmful effects of substance abuse among school going students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Punjab Government survey stated that 66% of the school-going students in the state consume gutkha or tobacco; every third male and every tenth female student has taken drugs on one pretext or the other and seven out of 10 college-going students, abuse one or the other drug.Methodology: The research approach for this study was quantitative descriptive study and research design was cross-sectional. The present study was conducted among 100 senior secondary students studying in Govt. Balbir Senior Secondary School, Faridkot and MGM Senior Secondary School, Faridkot. The students were studying in 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th standard of selected schools of district Faridkot. Convenient sampling technique was used to select the samples for study.Results: The findings stated that 31% of students have good knowledge, 67% have average knowledge and 2% have below average knowledge. Thus it can be interpreted that students had overall average knowledge about possible causative factor of substance abuse.Conclusion: The study concluded that majority of the students were having average knowledge towards probable causative factors and harmful effects of substance abuse. It’s important to keep away the people from substance abuse.