Prevalence of Substance Use and related Behaviors among Tertiary Students: A Cross-sectional Survey in Yaoundé, Cameroon

Abstract Background The use of psychoactive substances is a major global public health problem. People aged 15-24 years are more likely to abuse psychoactive substances than the general population. Substances use among youth, especially students in higher education is increasing rapidly worldwide. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of substances use among university students and to describe their behavioral profiles. Methods An institutional-based descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2023 at the Yaoundé 1 University in Cameroon. A convenience non probabilistic sampling method were used to recruit consenting students. The data collectors were medical students who were trained for 2 days and given appropriate instructions before the survey. The data collected were reviewed and checked for completeness before being entered. All data were coded and entered into Microsoft Excel 2016. Descriptive statistics were performed using R Statistics 4.3.1. Qualitative data were collected from all participants through interviews. Results A total of 191 university students were enrolled in the study. The median age was 20 years. They were predominantly male (66.5%) and aged between 20-25. The prevalence of substance use was 66% for alcohol consumption, 33.5% for smoking habits and 26.7% for drug use. The main motivations for substance use were companionship, thrill-seeking and curiosity. More than a third of students were polysubstance users (35.1%). Most participants were aware of the academic consequence (85.9%) and almost all (93.7%) acknowledged the physical and psycho-social consequences of substance use. Conclusion There is a high rate of psychoactive substance use among university students. Therefore, effective campus-based counseling, peer education, and national surveillance systems that can monitor risky behaviors among university students should be implemented.