Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

ACC 2024 Congress

Catch up on all the top stories and latest evidence in cardiology research with our ACC 2024 Congress hub page.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2016

Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Psychoactive substances use and associated factors among middle and high school students in the North Center of Morocco: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey

Authors: B. Zarrouq, B. Bendaou, A. El Asri, S. Achour, I. Rammouz, R. Aalouane, B. Lyoussi, S. Khelafa, A. Bout, N. Berhili, H. Hlal, A. Najdi, C. Nejjari, K. El Rhazi

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2016

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Data 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.

Methods

A 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.

Results

A 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.

Conclusions

The 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.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). World drug report. New York: United Nations; 2015.
2.
Odejide AO. Status of drug use/abuse in Africa: a review. Int J Ment Health. 2006;4:87–102.
3.
Moussaoui D. La santé mentale au Maroc : enquête nationale sur la prévalence des troubles mentaux et des toxicomanies. L’Encéphale. 2007;4(Suppl):S125–6.CrossRef
4.
5.
6.
United Nations, office on drugs and crime (UNODC). Cannabis in Africa, an overview. 2007.
7.
8.
9.
Saifuddin Ahmed. Methods in Sample Surveys, Cluster Sampling. Johns Hopkins University, 2009.
10.
Slama K. Tobacco control and prevention: A guide for low-income countries. Paris: IUATLD (International union against tuberculosis and lung disease); 1998.
11.
El Omari F, Sabir M, Toufiq J. L’usage de drogues auprès des élèves marocains. Rapport MedSPAD. 2013.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). European drug report 2014: trends and developments. Lisbon: EMCDDA; 2014.
17.
SAMHSA. National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health. NIDA: Monitoring the Future; 2010.
18.
19.
World Health Organization. Global School-based Student Health Survey. Lebanon: Fact Sheet; 2011.
20.
World Health Organization. Global status report on alcohol and health. In: WHO Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. 2014.
21.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). World drug report. New York: United Nations; 2014.
22.
Hibell B, Guttormsson U, Ahlström S, Balakireva O, Bjarnason T, Kokkevi A, Kraus L. The 2011 ESPAD Report Substance Use Among Students in 36 European Countries. 2012. The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and other Drugs (CAN), The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Council of Europe, Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group).
23.
Council of Europe, Pompidou Group, MedNET Network. Drug use in Moroccan schools: MedSPAD 2009–2010 report. Document PG/Med. 2011. 17, June 2011.
24.
Council of Europe, Pompidou Group. First results of the MedSPAD Algeria survey. 2006.
25.
Mental Health Evidence and Research, & Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Disease control priorities related to mental, neurological, developmental and substance abuse disorders. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2006.
26.
Holmila M, Raitasalo K. Gender differences in drinking: Why do they still exist? Addiction. 2005;100:1763–9.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Moon DG, Hecht ML, Jackson KM, Spellers RE. Ethnic and gender differences and similarities in adolescent drug use and refusals of drug offers. Substance Use & Misuse. 1999;34:1059–83.CrossRef
28.
Faeh D, Viswanathan B, Chiolero A, Warren W, Bovet P. Clustering of smoking, alcohol drinking and cannabis use in adolescents in a rapidly developing country. BMC Public Health. 2006;6:169.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
29.
Wittchen HU, Behrendt S, Hofler M, Perkonigg A, Lieb R, Buhringer G, Beesdo K. What are the high risk periods for incident substance use and transitions to abuse and dependence? Implications for early intervention and prevention. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research. 2008;17 Suppl 1:S16–29.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Brook JS, Adams RE, Balka EB, Johnson E. Early adolescent marijuana use: risks for the transition to young adulthood. Psychological Medicine. 2002;32:79–91.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Miller JW, Naimi TS, Brewer RD, Jones SE. Binge drinking and associated health risk behaviors among high school students. Pediatrics. 2007;119:76–85.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Kandel D. Stages and Pathways of Drug Involvement. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press; 2002.CrossRef
33.
Wagner FA, Velasco-Mondragon HE, Herrera-Vazquez M, Borges G, Lazcano-Ponce E. Early alcohol or tobacco onset and transition to other drug use among students in the state of Morelos, Mexico. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2005;77:93–6.CrossRefPubMed
34.
Lopes GM, Nóbrega BA, Del Prette G, Scivoletto S. Use of psychoactive substances by adolescents: current panorama. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria. 2013;35 Suppl 1:S51–61.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Psychoactive substances use and associated factors among middle and high school students in the North Center of Morocco: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey
Authors
B. Zarrouq
B. Bendaou
A. El Asri
S. Achour
I. Rammouz
R. Aalouane
B. Lyoussi
S. Khelafa
A. Bout
N. Berhili
H. Hlal
A. Najdi
C. Nejjari
K. El Rhazi
Publication date
01-12-2016
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3143-5

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

BMC Public Health 1/2016 Go to the issue

Research article

Knowledge, attitude and practices: assessing maternal and child health care handbook intervention in Vietnam

Research article

“Experiences with disclosure of HIV-positive status to the infected child”: Perspectives of healthcare providers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Research article

Assessment of sedentary behaviors and transport-related activities by questionnaire: a validation study

Study protocol

Study protocol for a multi-component kindergarten-based intervention to promote healthy diets in toddlers: a cluster randomized trial

Research article

Determinants of timely initiation of complementary feeding among mothers with children aged 6–23 months in Lalibela District, Northeast Ethiopia, 2015

Research article

Food, health, and complexity: towards a conceptual understanding to guide collaborative public health action