Nutritional Status of Illegal Drug Users in Greater Accra

Abstract

Illegal drugs continue to be used in Ghana particularly in the urban centres such as Greater Accra. Illegal drug use can negatively affect health behaviour, body composition and metabolism. This thesis assessed the socio-ecological influences that shape illegal drug use initiation, continuation and termination and the associated nutritional health in Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Snowball sampling was used to recruit 141 respondents (123 males and 18 females). Data on background characteristics, personal, interpersonal, societal and institutional influences on illegal drug use habits were collected using semi-structured questionnaire. Body composition and blood was collected on each respondent using standard procedure. Descriptive statistics were presented for background characteristics, frequency of illegal drug use and socioecological influences on illegal drug use habits. Predictors of illegal drug use was determined using Logistic and Poisson regressions. Results indicated that hallucinogen was the main drug used. The likelihood of using illegal drugs was found to be associated with age and marital status. Personal and societal factors were associated with illegal drug use continuation, interpersonal and societal factors were associated with initiation of drug use, societal and institutional factors were associated with illegal drug use termination. There were differences in the biochemical and enzymatic characteristics observed between male and female illegal drug users who used the same illegal drugs at the same frequency. Tailored advocacy, as part of illegal drug use control-policy, and establishment of treatment and rehabilitation may help mitigate illegal drug use.