Abstract
BackgroundData on psychoactive substance (PAS) consumption among adolescents in the North Center of Morocco are not at all available. Therefore, the current study aimed at investigating the prevalence and the determinants of psychoactive substances use among middle and high school students in this region.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2012 to November 2013 in public middle and high schools in the North Central Region of Morocco. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was used to assess psychoactive substances use among a representative sample of school students from the 7th to the 12th grade, aged 11–23 years, selected by stratified cluster random sampling. Factors associated with psychoactive substance use were identified using multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses.ResultsA total of 3020 school students completed the questionnaires, 53.0 % of which were males. The overall lifetime smoking prevalence was 16.1 %. The lifetime, annual and past month rates of any psychoactive substance use among the study subjects were 9.3, 7.5, and 6.3 % respectively. Cannabis recorded the highest lifetime prevalence of 8.1 %, followed by alcohol 4.3 %, inhalants 1.7 %, psychotropic substances without medical prescription 1.0, cocaine 0.7, heroine 0.3, and amphetamine with only 0.2 %. Psychoactive substance use was associated with males more than females. The risk factors identified by multivariate stepwise logistic regression analyses were being male, studying in secondary school level, smoking tobacco, living with a family member who uses tobacco, and feeling insecure within the family.ConclusionsThe prevalence among all school students reported by the current study was comparable to the national prevalence. Efforts to initiate psychoactive substance prevention programs among school students should be made by designing such programs based on the significant factors associated with psychoactive substance use identified in this study.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3143-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Data on psychoactive substance (PAS) consumption among adolescents in the North Center of Morocco are not at all available
Albeit the development of the cannabis economy in the Northern provinces of Morocco, no study has been conducted to determine the prevalence and the risk factors related to cannabis and other PASs use among adolescents in this region
Socio-demographic characteristics Out of the 3170 students who participated in the study, 3020 completed the questionnaires
Summary
Study design A cross-sectional study, targeting students in public middle and high schools of the North central region of Morocco (Fez-Boulemane and Taza Taunate El Hoceima regions), was conducted from April 2012 to November 2013. Sampling method The national survey conducted in 2006 estimated that the lifetime prevalence of PASs use among Moroccan school students was 6.0 % [8]. For sample size estimation under cluster sampling, we considered a value of 2 for design effect. The total cluster selection was done in proportion with the distribution of the schools in urban and rural areas and according to the distribution of students in middle and high schools. Lifetime PASs use was defined as having ever used at least one of the PASs listed in the questionnaire. Past twelve months PASs use was defined as having used the PASs listed in the questionnaires during the 12 months prior to the date of data collection. The current prevalence of PASs use was defined as the proportion of students who used PASs in 30 days preceding the study. P values of
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