Elixir Online Journal

CATEGORIES

Architecture and Design

Cement and Concrete Composites Historic Preservation Sustainable Architecture

Arts and Social Science

Literature Linguistics and Translation Social Science

Biomedical and Life Sciences

Applied Botany Applied Biology Aquaculture Bio-Physics Bio Technology Food Science Hormones and Signaling Semen Dilution and Freezing Biomedical Science and Technology

Business Administration, Management and Economics

Finance Management International Business Management Human Resource Management Marketing Management Management Arts Production Management Tourism Management Project Management

Chemistry and Materials Science

Applied Chemistry Chemical Physics Computational Chemistry Corrosion Chemical Physics Letters Organic Chemistry Optical Materials Nanocomposite Materials Semiconductor Materials Nanotechnology Liquid Crystal Technology Dye Chemistry Magnetic Materials

Discrete Mathematics and Cryptography

Applied Mathematics Cryptology Discrete Mathematics Statistics Advances in Pure Mathematics

Earth and Environmental Science

Agriculture Bio-Diversity Pollution Remote Sensing Meteorology Geoscience Infrastructure Management Horticultural Science

Engineering

Advanced Engineering Informatics Adoc Network Chemical Engineering Control Engineering Electrical Engineering Computer Science and Engineering Mechanical Engineering Network Engineering Power Electronics Engineering Thermal Engineering Nanosensors Image Processing Renewable Energy Engineering

Education

Educational Technology Leadership Management Psychology Social Studies Mathematics Education

Humanities and Law

Criminal Law International Law

Medical Science

Human-Physiology Pharmacy Virus Research Dentistry Forensic Serology

Physics and Astronomy

Advanced Powder Technology Crystal Growth Crystal Research Technology Polymer Space Science Vibrational Spectroscopy Ultrasonics Thin Film Technology Nuclear and Radiation Physics

Short Communication

Comments Criticism

Announcement

Editor-in-Chief

ISSUE

Current Issues

May2013

Past Issues

April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
2012
2011

Factors Contributing To Drug Abuse among the Youth in Kenya: A Case of Bamburi Location

Author:Bosco Kasundu, Moses Mutua Mutiso, Paul Sutter Chebet and Priscillah Wanjiku Mwirigi

Abstract:
This paper investigates factors contributing to drug abuse among the youth in Kenya; a case of Bamburi Location. The paper also: establishes the nature and extent of drug abuse and related issues among the youths; establishes the level and sources of knowledge and awareness on drug abuse and related issues among the youth; investigates demographic factors contributing to drug abuse; investigates social-cultural factors contributing to drug abuse; investigates economic factors contributing to drug abuse; analyses the effects of drug abuse; interrogates the challenges faced against the fight of drug abuse; and recommends on how to curb and reduce drug abuse. In this paper, the authors use an explanatory study design where a study was conducted in Bamburi Location to establish factors contributing to drug abuse among youths in Kenya. The explanatory study design was adopted as it offers an explanation as to why youths engage in drug abuse in Kenya. A survey was conducted for the reason that it provides the information from the single selected sample whose findings can be used to offer a generalization for the whole country. The sample size for the study was 120 youth across all the sub locations in Bamburi location. The main findings of the study were: Demographic characteristics except gender do contribute to drug abuse in the area. Economic and social cultural factors also play a great role in influencing drug abuse in the area among the youth. Effects of drug abuse are diverse. They range from individual to societal effects such as poor health, poor personal hygiene, homosexuality, high school drop-out rate, high divorce rate, prostitution and increased crime. The main challenge facing the fight against drug abuse is corruption and lack of concern by the community in general. Suggested measures to fight the menace are to end corruption and focus on preventive education among the school-going youth. Though there are various factors leading to drug abuse, this paper focuses on demographic factors, social-cultural, and economic leading to pervasiveness of the menace in the Bamburi community/Location. Basically there are various demographic factors contributing to drug abuse such as age, occupation, religion, and marital status. Demographic factors also work in close relationship with social-cultural factors such as ones perceived respect by others, the social environment, peer pressure influence, social learning from parents, ones culture and cultural believes, customs, norms and values. Economic factors also play a great role in determining ones behavior especially in cases of deviance. Ones economic status may influence ones indulgence in such activities. This paper is, however, limited to the investigation of these factors and recommends the way forward in reducing or curbing drug abuse in Bamburi Location.