Prevalence and predictors of lifetime amphetamine use among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the prevalence of amphetamine use and its associated factors among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone.

DESIGN: Data for the study was sourced from the 2017 Sierra Leone Global School-based Health Survey. Percentages with confidence intervals (CIs) were used to present the prevalence of amphetamine use among in-school adolescents. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the factors associated with amphetamine use. The results were presented using adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% CIs.

SETTING: Sierra Leone.

PARTICIPANTS: A weighted sample of 1,314 in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone.

OUTCOME MEASURE: Lifetime amphetamine use.

RESULTS: The prevalence of amphetamine use was 6.1% (3.9%-9.5%). In-school adolescents who planned suicide were more likely to use amphetamine compared with those who did not (aOR 2.54; 95% CI 1.02 to 6.31). Also, the odds of amphetamine use were higher among in-school adolescents who received support from their peers (aOR 3.19, 95% CI 1.71 to 5.96), consumed alcohol (aOR 4.85, 95% CI 2.61 to 9.03), and those who had previously used marijuana (aOR 13.31, 95% CI 6.61 to 28.78) compared with those who did not receive any support, never consumed alcohol, and never used marijuana, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Amphetamine use is prevalent among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone. There is a need to implement comprehensive public health policies that extend beyond school-based psychobehavioural therapies. These policies should specifically address the considerable risk factors associated with amphetamine use among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone.