Prevalence and risk factors of opioid abuse among teenagers in Africa: a scoping review

Several reviews have explored the abuse of substances among adolescents in Africa. For example, Olawole-Isaac et al. (2018) reported that approximately 41.6% of adolescents aged 10–19 in sub-Saharan Africa had used psychoactive substances. In addition, a systematic review and meta-analysis by Ebrahim et al. (2024) reported a prevalence of substance use of 21% over a lifetime, 18% within the past 12 months and 15% for current use among young adults. Similarly, Emmanuel et al. (2024) documented widespread substance use among adolescents, with alcohol and tramadol identified as common substances of abuse. These reviews highlight a high and increasing prevalence of substance use among young people in Africa. However, they do not specifically address the abuse of opioids but focus on general substance abuse among adolescents (Ebrahim et al., 2024; Emmanuel et al., 2024; Morojele et al., 2021; Olawole-Isaac et al., 2018). Despite the growing body of evidence on adolescent substance use, there remains a critical gap in understanding the specific patterns, drivers, and burden of opioid abuse among adolescents in Africa. Given the highly addictive nature of opioids and their severe health and social consequences compared to other substances, this review specifically focused on mapping prevalence and risk factors among adolescents in Africa. The insights gained from this scoping review will inform future studies and systematic reviews. Additionally, the findings will guide policymakers, educators, and healthcare professionals in developing evidence-based interventions that support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which seeks to achieve good health and well-being for all at all ages (United Nations, 2024). Furthermore, stakeholders can unlock opportunities for collaborative action, promote healthier, more resilient African youth and accelerate progress towards sustainable development by addressing the complex interplay of factors underpinning opioid abuse. This review uniquely contributes to the literature by specifically mapping the prevalence and risk factors of opioid abuse rather than general substance use among adolescents in Africa, an area that has been largely overlooked. It offers a focused synthesis that highlights multi-level drivers of opioid abuse and identifies key gaps for future research and intervention.