Jul 2026· Journal of Drug Issues· 0 citations· 17 references
Abstract
Substance use among South African university students unfolds within persistent socio-economic inequality and substance-related harm. Drawing on 40 qualitative interviews with current and former students in Durban, this study examines how substance use is initiated, sustained, and intensified during higher education, guided by the social ecological model. Trajectories were shaped by financial strain, academic pressure, emotional distress, peer networks, and prior community exposure. Substances reported included alcohol, cannabis, nyaope, and methamphetamine, with trajectories differing by substance type. Early normalisation intersected with campus environments to facilitate escalation; for some, use shifted from experimentation to dependency where psychosocial support was limited, with avoidance of withdrawal symptoms becoming central to continued use. Data were collected between September 2020 and July 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, amplifying existing vulnerabilities. The study frames substance use as a structurally shaped social problem, with implications for multi-level, gender-responsive, substance-specific interventions.
Adolescent and young people’s substance use is deeply embedded within family systems, yet the experiences and needs of family members are often overlooked, with greater emphasis typically placed on their role in supporting treatment. Drawing on the stress–strain–coping–support model, this study explored how families experience and respond to youth substance use in a low-resource setting. An exploratory qualitative design was employed, with 19 family members of individuals under the age of 24 receiving treatment for substance-related conditions at a tertiary mental health facility in Harare, Zimbabwe purposively recruited. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in Shona or English, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using codebook thematic analysis in NVivo 12. Participants described youth substance use as both a family and community issue, shaped by broader social and structural contexts. Families experienced chronic stress and strain across multiple domains, including financial hardship, relational conflict, and emotional distress. Responses to these challenges were complex and dynamic, ranging from active engagement and support to tolerance and withdrawal. While many participants reported feelings of helplessness, others described developing adaptive coping strategies over time. Participants also highlighted unmet support needs and offered recommendations for more responsive prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services. These findings underscore the significant and multifaceted impact of youth substance use on family systems and highlight the importance of family-centred, contextually grounded interventions that address both individual and systemic factors in low- and middle-income African settings.
Chido Rwafa-Madzvamutse, C. van der Westhuizen, W. Mangezi et al.· Discover Psychology· 0 citations
Substance use among high school learners is a major public health problem across the world, and South Africa cannot be an exception. Substance use has devastating effects on learners’ health, social well-being and academic performance. This study sought to explore the interpersonal risk factors associated with substance use among high school learners in the Motetema circuit, South Africa. It also looked at the participants’ lived experiences related to the substance use problem affecting learners. The study used a qualitative descriptive approach whereby ten learners (05 boys and 05 girls) from seven high schools in the Motetema circuit participated in the study through applying a purposive sampling technique. Seven (07) key informants also took part in the study, whereby a semi-structured interview was used to collect data. Thematic data analysis was used, and five themes emerged from the study. The following risk factors emerged as themes: domestic conflicts, less parental involvement and supervision, family influence, child abuse and peer influence. The Socio-Ecological Model is used to illustrate and discuss the findings of the study. Family problems, peer pressure and family influence increase the risk of substance use among learners. These findings assist in forming a targeted intervention to reduce the risk factors. It is recommended that a school-based substance use prevention program be implemented, as it will focus on empowering learners to resist substance use tendencies as well as strengthening family intervention services.
Eric Mamukeyani, T. Mashamba, T. Netshapapame· Discover Public Health· 0 citations
Substance use (including alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) is a critical public health issue. The use of substances by youth, have potential for harm, including both short-term and long- term implications. Therefore, it is important to understand the function youth perceive substances having in their lives and how this is impacting their life goals and well-being. However, to date, no research has directly explored this. To address this, the current research explored the lived experiences and perspectives of youth in Aotearoa New Zealand on substance use. It examined how they perceive substances influencing their life goals and overall well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten youth participants (aged 15 to 23 years). The interviews were analysed and transcribed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Five interconnected themes were developed: 1) Patterns, progression and changing use over time, 2) Motivations for use, 3) Social, family and cultural influence, 4) Perceptions of risk and evolving awareness and 5) Support, resilience and access to services. Despite acknowledging the challenges associated with substance use participants described a complex and evolving relationship with substances. Substance use was influenced by changing life circumstances, emotional needs and social connections. While some youth viewed substance use as irrelevant or, at times, facilitative to their future aspirations and well-being, others recognised it as a barrier. These findings contribute to deepening our understanding of youth substance use by foregrounding youth voices. This research identified implications for future policy and practice, including more informed education, non-judgmental support and improved access to youth-relevant services. These should relate to substance use, future thinking and well-being in Aotearoa New Zealand. Future research suggestions are also discussed.
BACKGROUND
Involvement with psychoactive substances among emerging adults varies considerably in its frequency, severity, and co-occurrence. Person-centred approaches, which identify groups of individuals with shared patterns of substance involvement, may provide a more nuanced understanding of psychosocial risk than traditional substance-specific analyses. This study aimed to identify distinct substance involvement profiles among Colombian university students and examine differences in depression, anxiety, and suicide risk across these profiles, as well as sociodemographic predictors of profile membership.
METHODS
A cross-sectional multicentre study was conducted with 1,491 university students aged 18-26 years from the four largest cities of Colombia. Self-reported substance involvement across tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, and sedatives was assessed. A two-step clustering approach using hierarchical and k-means cluster analyses was employed to identify substance involvement profiles. Differences in depression, anxiety, and suicide risk across profiles were examined using one-way analyses of variance, and multinomial logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic predictors of profile membership.
RESULTS
A three-cluster solution identified low- (80.5%), moderate- (14.6%), and high-involvement (4.9%) profiles. Profiles differed significantly in depression (F = 6.99, p = 0.001), anxiety (F = 5.51, p = 0.004), and suicide risk (F = 6.49, p = 0.002), with moderate- and high-involvement profiles reporting higher levels of depression, anxiety, and suicide risk. Men (OR = 1.64, p = 0.002) and students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds (OR = 2.45-2.83, p ≤ 0.001) were more likely to belong to the moderate- profile, while students from the Central region showed greater odds of membership in both the moderate- and high-involvement profiles than those from other regions (OR = 2.49-2.57, p ≤ 0.009).
CONCLUSIONS
Distinct substance involvement profiles among Colombian university students were associated with meaningful differences in mental health outcomes. High involvement with cocaine, amphetamines, and sedatives may represent useful indicators of risk for poorer mental health outcomes and provide opportunities for earlier screening and intervention. These findings support integrated approaches to substance use and mental health assessment, alongside more targeted prevention efforts among young adults.
A. C. Chamorro Coneo, Loraine Bruges Martínez· BMC Public Health· 0 citations
Purpose: Substance use, particularly alcohol, marijuana, and opioid drugs, at colleges throughout the United States is problematic. Consequences for this use range from embarrassment, legal and academic trouble, to health problems and even death. Interventions to prevent and treat these issues run into many roadblocks due to population and location. Targeted interventions tend to be the most effective. Among the factors influencing college student substance use is the student’s attitudes and beliefs about their peers’ substance use.
Methodology: This study used data from the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey – Long Form gathered from a conveniences sample of 145 undergraduate students at a rural college to examine important factors in assumptions about peer substance use. Ordinary least squares regression was used to analyze the data and find significant predictors of substance use within the last year.
Findings: Student’s age, gender, and past use were the most important factors in determining student’s attitudes about peer substance use. Interventions surrounding substance use attitudes should focus on younger students, female students, and students with a past history of substance use. Limitations of the study are also discussed.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social Norms Theory has demonstrated that perceived peer behavior influences individual substance use, less is known about the factors that shape these perceptions. Colleges should consider incorporating social norms education into substance use prevention programs, particularly during students' first year of enrollment. Prevention efforts may be especially beneficial when targeted toward younger students, female students, and students with a history of substance use. Educational interventions that provide accurate information regarding actual levels of peer substance use may help reduce misconceptions that contribute to risky behaviors.
James M. Kuterbach· International Journal of Psy...· 0 citations
Substance use during adolescence poses serious developmental risks, particularly among underserved populations such as American Indian (AI) youth. This study uses multilevel modeling to examine the relationship between school-level factors and the likelihood of AI youth substance use, accounting for student-level variation. Self-report surveys were collected from 8th, 10th, and 12th-grade students during the 2004 spring semester. Analyses focused on a subsample of 2,188 self-identified AI youth, ages 11 to 19. Results showed that 60% of youth reported ever drinking alcohol, 50.7% ever using marijuana, and 22.9% ever using illicit drugs. Results from the multilevel model revealed that school clustering explained some of the variation in the likelihood of alcohol and drug use for AI students; however, school-level factors (urban/rural, school size, school SES, teacher-student ratio) had little to no effect on substance use. Academic failure was associated with higher odds for lifetime and 30-day alcohol and marijuana use, and lifetime illicit drug use. Low school commitment was associated with higher odds for lifetime and 30-day alcohol and illicit drug use, and 30-day marijuana use. Additionally, students' sex, age, depressive symptoms, and drug accessibility were also significantly associated with increased risk of substance use. These findings suggest that while school structural characteristics exert limited direct influence on AI youth substance use, student-level experiences within schools, including academic failure, low commitment, and depressive symptoms, are critical targets for prevention, highlighting the value of multilevel approaches for understanding substance use etiology in AI communities.
Veronica M. Herrera, Lidia E. Nuño, G. Creason-Parker· Journal of Ethnicity in Subs...· 0 citations
