Wachira, Joy Rugano(Daystar University, School of Human and Social Sciences, June , 2016)
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Abstract:
Substance use and abuse remains not only a national but a global challenge. Despite the harmful effects associated with the vice, many youth still use and abuse substances. Several studies have been carried out on effects and factors associated with drug use. The study sought to find out the specific role religiosity plays in influencing substance use and abuse among youth and to establish the role the church plays in the prevention and intervention of substance use and abuse. It focused on church attending youth of both gender aged 18-24 years. Cross-sectional descriptive research design was used. The study recruited 178 youth and 10 youth leaders from three different churches in Westlands Sub-County in Nairobi Cosmopolitan. Qualitative and quantitative questionnaires were used to obtain data. Quantitative data was analysed using Microsoft excel 2007 and IBM Software Package for Social Sciences (SPPS) 20.0 Qualitative data was thematically analysed for any emerging themes guided by the research objectives. Commonly abused drugs were found to be cannabis, alcohol and tobacco. ASSIST results showed that a third of youth were at a low risk, half were at a moderate risk and a fifth were at a high risk of developing health problems related to substance use and abuse. Despite the majority of youth agreeing that religion was important to them and indicating that using drugs violated their religious beliefs, no church had a youth programme that specifically addressed the vice. Religiosity which was measured by church attendance and involvement was found to have a protective factor against substance use and abuse (SUA). The study also found need for creating awareness of SUA in churches, initiating rehabilitation centres in churches, increasing youth activities and involving families in addressing the vice.
