Knowledge, attitudes and frequency of consumption of psychoactive substances in the high school population

Cilj istraživanja: Cilj ovog istraživanja je utvrditi sociodemografska obilježja ispitanika (učenika srednjih škola u Osječko-baranjskoj i Splitsko-dalmatinskoj županiji), njihovo znanje, stavove i učestalost konzumacije psihoaktivnih tvari te istražiti postoji li povezanost između promatranih varijabli. Ispitanici i metode: U istraživanju su sudjelovala ukupno 342 učenika iz četiri srednje škole (I. jezične gimnazije Split, Zdravstvene gimnazije Osijek, Medicinske škole Osijek i Obrtničke škole Split), koja su ispunila anonimni anketni upitnik s 36 pitanja. Za utvrđivanje razlika među proporcijama između dva nezavisna uzorka korišten je χ²-test i Fisherov egzaktni test. Rezultati: 51,2% ispitanika iz svih škola smatra da je marihuana droga, čak 30,1% ne smatra da je marihuana droga te 18,7% ne zna je li marihuana droga ili nije. 66,1% ispitanika smatra kako je moguće postati ovisan o marihuani, 12,9% ispitanika smatra da nije moguće postati ovisan, a 21,1% ne zna je li moguće ili ne postati ovisnikom o marihuani. Najviše učenika (48,2%) izjasnilo se da marihuanu treba legalizirati samo u zdravstvene svrhe kod teško bolesnih ljudi, 27,2% ispitanika smatra da je treba legalizirati u potpunosti, 17% ispitanika se izjašnjava kako ih nije briga treba li je legalizirati ili ne, a najmanji postotak bilježi mišljenje kako marihuanu ne treba legalizirati 7,6%. Alkohol učestalo konzumira 75,8% učenika, a još 10,2% učenika je navelo da su jednom probali neku vrstu alkohola, što znači da samo 4% učenika nikada nije konzumiralo alkohol. 46,2% učenika ne konzumira cigarete, dok je 43,6% učenika konzumenata cigareta. 27,3% učenika iz I. jezične gimnazije Split odgovorilo je da je nekad konzumiralo neku drogu, taj postotak je u Zdravstvenoj gimnaziji Osijek 25,3%, u Medicinskoj školi Osijek iznosi 24,7%, a u Obrtničkoj školi Split 32,1%. Zaključak: Da dođe do smanjenja konzumacije psihoaktivnih tvari u adolescentnoj populaciji, bitna je iskrena i kvalitetna komunikacija s roditeljima kako bi adolescenti dobili potrebna znanja o psihoaktivnim tvarima, a ujedno i postali samosvjesni i samopouzdani te ne posezali za tim tvarima.Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents (high school students in Osijek-Baranja and Split-Dalmatia County), their knowledge, attitudes and frequency of consumption of psychoactive substances and to investigate whether there is a correlation between the observed variables. Respondents and Methods: Total of 342 students from four secondary schools (1st Grammar School Split, Health Grammar School Osijek, Medical School Osijek and Crafts School Split) participated in the survey, which completed an anonymous questionnaire of 36 questions. The χ² test and the Fisher exact test have been used to determine differences between the proportions between two independent samples. Results: 51.2% of respondents from all schools consider marijuana to be a drug, as many as 30.1% do not consider marijuana to be a drug and 18.7% do not know if marijuana is a drug or not. 66.1% said it was possible to become addicted to marijuana, 12.9% said it was not possible to become addicted, and 21.1% did not know if it was possible or not to become addicted to marijuana. Most students (48.2%) stated that marijuana should be legalized only for health purposes in seriously ill people, 27.2% said it should be legalized completely, 17% said they did not care whether it should be legalized or no, and the lowest percentage indicates that marijuana does not need to be legalized, 7.6%. Alcohol is frequently consumed by 75.8% of students, with another 10.2% of students stating that they have tried some type of alcohol once, meaning that only 4% of students have never consumed alcohol. 46.2% of students do not consume cigarettes, while 43.6% of students do not use cigarettes. 27.3% of students from 1st Grammar School Split said that they had consumed some drugs at the time, this percentage was 25.3% at Health Grammar School Osijek, 24.7% at Medical School Osijek, and 32.1% at Crafts School Split. Conclusion: In order to reduce the consumption of psychoactive substances in the adolescent population, honest and quality communication with parents is essential in order for adolescents to acquire the necessary knowledge about psychoactive substances and at the same time to become self-aware and self-reliant and not reach for those substances