Abstract

Chaltu Hinkosa*, Dinka Dugassa and Ginenus Fekadu

ABSTRACT

Background: In every culture in history, people have found drinking. Some of the social drugs are inhaled, some are chewed etc. and alsosome plants in the form of different decoctions, beverages or inhaling them in the form of smoking as common practice. However, it is fond that some of these preparations are among classes of abused substances which could result in different types of common health problems. Objective: To determine the prevalence, pattern, and attitude towards stopping or reducing alcoholism, cigarette smoking and chat chewing and to determine their devastating consequences among residents in Gute Town adults, Eastern Wollega. Method:- A cross sectional study was conducted in May 2018 on a Sample of 384 peoples that were select by conventional sampling procedure using a well developed questionnaire format. Results:- 384 subjects were included in the study. 246 (64.04%) of them were male and the rest 138(35.9%) were female. The social drugs used included in the study even once in life time where 250(65.1%) from those 202(52.6%) were males and the rest 48 (12.5%) were females. This means from 384 samples 250(65.1%) of them were use abuse social drugs at least ever tried one of the drug. The current prevalence of social drugs among the study population was found to be 206(53.64%). That is out of total drug users 82.4% of them were users. Discussion:- Like other Ethiopian journal studies indicated that chat, alcohol and cigarette were the most commonly reported drugs that were abused in Ethiopia, the result of this study showed that chat was the most commonly used social drug by both sexes, followed by alcohol and tobacco. Conclusion and Recommendations: In general the prevalence of use of Social drag in Gute town peoples seems to be Comparable with prevalence of the drugs in other Ethiopian town. Alcohol and chat that were the most commonly abused substances among especially in adults. There for, Governments and all society should give advice for adults about impact of social drug use, should establish recreational centers in Gute town and support scientific researches on social substances. In addition to this, the concerned other bodies like health bureau of the area, Youth and sport office should give attention to the problem studied.