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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 10, No. 6

Publication Date: December 25, 2022

DOI:10.14738/aivp.106.13351. Mboi, S. S., Iyama, W. A., Ogbuehi, D., & Willy, N. D. (2022). Perceived Health Effects of Tramadol HCL Abuse among Youths in

Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. European Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(6). 279-287.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Perceived Health Effects of Tramadol HCL Abuse among Youths in

Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria

Mboi, Stanley Samuel

Rivers State College of Health Science and Management

Technology, Rumueme, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Iyama, William Azuka

Institute of Geosciences and Environmental Management

Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Ogbuehi, Desmond

Rivers State College of Health Science and Management

Technology, Rumueme, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Willy, Ngozi Dennis

Rivers State College of Health Science and Management

Technology, Rumueme, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study investigated perceived health effects of tramadol HCL abuse among

youths in Andoni Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria. Five specific

objectives, research questions and four null hypotheses were formulated and tested

at 0.05 level of significance. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted with

the population of one hundred and sixteen thousand, eight hundred and twenty six

youths (116, 826). The sample size of six hundred (600) was estimated using Yaro

Yamane’s formula. Multistage sampling techniques were adopted and

questionnaire instrument titled “Perceived Effects of Tramadol Abuse

Questionnaire (TETAQ). A reliability coefficient of 0.84 was high enough and was

used for this study. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social

Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The results of this study showed that there was high

perceived health effect of tramadol abuse found on the research question items of

mean values, 2.14±0.66; 2.23±0.75 and 2.13±0.1.00 respectively. It was concluded

that there was high perceived health, psychological, social and socio-economic

effects of tramadol abuse among youths in Andoni Local Government Area in Rivers

State. It was recommended among others that government should make policies to

stop the importation and distribution of illicit substances and drugs.

Keywords: Perceived health effects, youths, tramadol HCL, Andoni, abuse

INTRODUCTION

Youths are the most vulnerable group to tramadol abuse causing several health and

psychosocial problems. Good proportion of young adult are the major victims of drug use both

in the developed and developing countries. Drug use is characterized by continuous use of

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substance leading to unsuccessful attempt of withdrawal symptoms. The level of tramadol

abuse among students including those youths in Nigeria contribute to drop-out of school,

euphoria, criminality, rioting, violence, suicidal attempt, frustration among others. These vices

have predisposed youths to a number of high risk behaviours progressively lead to engagement

in crime, rape, violence, poor academic performance, thuggery, rioting, that bedeviled the

contemporary society (Kiriru, 2018). The United Nations Drug Control Programme, UNDCP

(2012), reported the increasing menace of drug abuse prevalence that an estimate of 142-272

million people which is 3.3% - 6.0% of the world population annually between the age group of

15-64 years abuse drugs and substances whilst a huge proportion (45%) are composed of

students in colleges and universities. It was further reported that 2.5 million people die each

year from drug and substance related complication and 30% of the cases are respondents from

community (UNDCP, 2010). Studies of Siyan et al. (2016) revealed that drug abuse that is more

common among youths are alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, opium, narcotics, cocaine, and heroin.

The abnormal use of drugs and related substances are contributed by certain factors such as

age, environment, peer pressure, parents, academic activities, availability of drugs among

others as may be observed among youth of Nigeria. Kiriru (2018), opined that alcohol and drug

abuse were infiltrated into society where youth and young adult are the potential risk group.

United Nations office on Drug and Crime (2012) reported that drugs abusers are between the

age group 16-28 years with over 60% residing urban areas and 21% living in rural areas.

Several report of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA (2019), that the increased

use of drugs especially illicit substance were seen among youths and suspected cases of drugs

trafficking were arrested in Lafia metropolis 3,683 kg of hard drugs, including 804.22 kg of

cannabis, 2,873.8 kg of tramadol, 5.3g of cocaine and 57.2 L of codeine syrup. George and

Moselhy (2005) reported that 34.7% of drug abusers said that their friends introduce it to them.

Friends as well as peer influence contribute to the menace of drug abuse especially among

young adult in Nigeria. Youths who keep more friends may likely use substance improperly as

compared with those who are careful with their peers. Studies of Most undergraduates are

lured by friends to take substance in order to maintain their friendship which gradually leads

to addiction. Chester (2016) added that 35% have best friends engage in drugs mostly which

copied the same from their trusted peers. Friends may likely be the commonest source of

introduction of drugs among undergraduates. Studies of Jagnany et al. (2008) reported that

10.5% of drug abuser was introduced by friends in the hostel such as cannabis, alcohol, tobacco,

cocaine among others. Also, further studies of Al-alawi and Shikh (2018) revealed that 28%

take illicit drugs with friends and 55% take alone that were introduced by their friends.

Exposure to friends who abuse drugs could serve as a social risk of abusing drugs among

students. Several studies indicated that undergraduates who are likely to be a drunkard and

smoker may have at least one friend who smokes and consumes alcohol (Al-Alawi, et al., 2018).

Peer influence contribute a significant role in drug abuse habit as seen among young adult (Foo

et al., 2018).

The abuse of tramadol is likely to be high among those who are curious and reside in the hostel.

A lot of negative lifestyle such as stealing, use of drugs, fighting, among others are part of

students’ habit in the hostel which have a potential risk of inducing drug abuse among them. A

good number of students use drugs abnormally due to depressive condition emanating from

academic activities. George and Moselhy (2005) reported that 9.9% of students abuse drugs

because of depression while over 22.1% was due to generosity. Studies have shown that over

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Mboi, S. S., Iyama, W. A., Ogbuehi, D., & Willy, N. D. (2022). Perceived Health Effects of Tramadol HCL Abuse among Youths in Andoni Local

Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. European Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(6). 279-287.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.106.13351

67.0% use alcohol to pass time or watch movie, 18% for sport activities, 6% for visiting friends

(Chester, 2016). Most of the undergraduate student usually engage in night and day clubbing,

gambling which lured them into drugs abuse since most of this substances are less expensive.

The havoc and moribund caused by drug abuse in different areas across the nation (Nigeria) is

yet to be handled leading to a lot of evil happening in the society as may be seen in Rivers State.

Sequel to this background, this research intends to identify the perceived effects of tramadol

HCL abuse among youths in Andoni Local Government Area. Distressing state of drug abuse

such as withdrawal symptoms, physical and psychosocial dependence, have unleashed

terrorism causing mental agony, mental illness, untold stress, rioting, insecurity, night-mares,

torture, academic failure, violence in communities and the Nigerian society at large. In spite of

governmental policy initiated over the decades to combat the misdemeanor of drug abuse and

drug trafficking, the menace of drug abuse continues to persist and increasing high. The

negative fixation of these nagging problems is that our communities and states have gradually

slide into unrecognized institution in the world. Little or no studies have been able to unravel

the effects of tramadol HCL abuse among youth in Andoni local government area of Rivers State.

Poised to this, this research seeks to investigate the perceived effects of tramadol HCL abuse

among youths in Andoni Local Government Area.

The purpose of the study is to investigate the perceived effects of tramadol HCL abuse among

youths in Andoni Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Research Design

This study adopted a well-structured questionnaire based on the “Perceived Effects of

Tramadol Abuse Questionnaire (TETAQ). A descriptive cross-sectional design and Multistage

sampling techniques were adopted for the study. A population of one hundred and sixteen

thousand, eight hundred and twenty six youths (116, 826) was used while the sample size of

six hundred (600) was estimated using Yaro Yamane’s formula. Multistage sampling techniques

were adopted for the study following three main steps.

Step 1: Simple random sampling technique was used to select the males and females from ten

(10) different communities in Andoni Local Government Area by balloting without

replacement. That is youths from ten communities were selected and used for the study. Step

2: Cluster sampling technique was used to group the ten communities into a cluster based on

their political wards to enable the researcher have access to the participants. Step 3: Involve a

purposive sampling technique used to select the participant from each group of the same

characteristics to enable the collection of data based on the nature of the environment. The

instrument used for data collection was questionnaire which was made of four sections;

sections A, and B.

Statistical Analysis

The instrument was validated by the supervisor and two other experts from the Department of

Human Kinetics, Health and Safety Education. A reliability coefficient of 0.84 was obtained

using the Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. The data was analyzed using the

Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Results

Table 1: Socio-demographic data

Variables Frequency Percentages

Age

< 15 years 86 14.8

16-20 years 332 57.2

21 years and above 162 27.9

Gender

Male 357 61.6

Female 223 38.4

Residence

family house 195 33.6

outside home 223 38.4

remote area 162 27.9

Employment status

Employed 177 30.5

Unemployed 403 69.5

Income

Low 385 66.4

Moderate 195 33.6

Religion

Christian 221 38.1

Islamic 63 10.9

Traditional 93 16.0

Others 203 35.0

Total 580 100.0

Source: Field Survey (2022)

The result in Table 1 showed that 86(14.8%) of the respondents were less than 15 years,

332(57.2%) were aged 16-20 years and 162(27.9%) were aged 21 years and above. For gender,

357(61.6%) were males and 223(38.4%) were females. Based on residence, 195(33.6%) reside

in their family house, 223(38.4%) reside outside their homes while 162(27.9%) reside in

remote areas. For employment status, 177(30.5%) of the respondents were employed while

403(69.5%) were unemployed. About 385(66.4%) had low income status while 195(33.6%)

had moderate income status. For religion, 221(38.1%) indicated that they were Christians,

63(10.9%) indicated they were Islam, 93(16.0%) indicated they were traditionalists while

203(35.0%) agreed to be of other religious affiliations.

Research Question 1: What is the perceived health effect of tramadol abuse among youths in

Andoni Local Government Area in Rivers State?