ALCOHOL USE KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OWERRI NORTH L.G.A OF IMO STATE

Abstract

The study was to determine the Alcohol Use Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Among Secondary School Students in Owerri North L. G. A. of Imo State. To achieve the purpose of the  study,  12  objectives  with  corresponding   research  questions  were   posed  and  nine hypotheses postulated. The descriptive survey design was used for the study.

The instrument  for data collection  was a 58 item questionnaire.  Three Lectures  in Health and Physical education and two from science education validated the instrument. Split half method was used for test of reliability. The population for the  study consisted  of 640 secondary school students in Owerri North L. G. A. of Imo  State. Six hundred  and forty copies of the questionnaire were distributed and were collected back which gave one hundred per cent return rate were used for the analysis of data.

Percentages  and mean scores were used to answer  research questions,  while  t-test, ANOVA and Chi-Square statistics were used for testing of the null hypotheses. The result of the study indicated that: (1) The students’ level of knowledge of alcohol use and abuse was average while students level of knowledge of alcohol Misuse was  high (see Table 1). (2) Students’  attitude  towards alcohol use,  misuse  and abuse was  positive  (see Table  2). (3) Majority of the students used alcohol misused and abused alcohol (see Table 3). (4) Female students had high level of knowledge of alcohol use, while male students had average level of knowledge of alcohol use, male and female  students had high level of alcohol misuse and abuse (see Table 4) (5) Slightly higher proportion of urban and rural students had high level of knowledge of alcohol misuse and abuse while urban and rural had average level of knowledge of alcohol use (see Table 5). (6) Junior secondary school students had high level of knowledge of alcohol use, than other classes while JSSIII students had low level of knowledge of alcohol use, JSSI students had high level of knowledge of alcohol misuse than other classes. JSSI students also had high level of knowledge of alcohol abuse than other classes while  JSSII students had low level of knowledge of alcohol abuse (see Table 6). (7) The overall attitude of both male and female students toward alcohol use, misuse and abuse was positive although that of males was slightly higher than the females (see Table 7). (8) The overall attitude of both urban and rural students towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse was positive (see Table

8). (9) Both JSS and SS students had positive attitudinal mean scores towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse although that of JSS111 was slightly higher than that of JSSII and SSII (see Table 9). (10) Slightly higher percentage of male students than female students used alcohol, abused and misused alcohol (see Table 10). (11) More urban students used alcohol than rural students  used  and  misused  alcohol  while  rural  students  abuse  alcohol  more  than  urban students (see Table 11). (12) Both JSS and SS students used  alcohol, misused and abused

alcohol, although that of SS students was slightly higher than the JSS students (see Table 12). (13)  There  was  no  significant  difference  between  male  and  female  students’  level  of knowledge of alcohol misuse and abuse while there was significant difference in the students’ knowledge  of alcohol use (see Table 13). (14) There was no significant  difference  in the knowledge of students regarding alcohol use, misuse and abuse (see  Table 14). (15) There was significant  difference  in the students’  level of knowledge  of  alcohol use, misuse and abuse (see Table 15). (16) There was no significant difference  in the attitude of male and female students towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse (see  Table 16). (17) There was no significant difference in the attitude of urban and rural students towards alcohol use misuse and abuse (see Table 17). (18) There was no significant difference in the attitude of JSS and SS students regarding alcohol use and alcohol misuse while there was significant difference in the attitude of students regarding alcohol abuse (see Table 18). (19) There was no significant difference in the practice of male and female students towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse (see Table 19). (20)  There was no significant difference in the practice of urban and rural students towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse (see Table 20). (21) There was significant difference in the practice of JSS and SS students towards alcohol use, abuse and misuse (see Table 21).

Based on major findings and conclusions, the government should endeavour to make the teaching of Health education compulsory to both junior and senior secondary schools. Government should also fund the organization of seminars and workshops for all secondary school  students  to  bridge  the  existing  gap.  This  will  enhance  their  performance  in their knowledge, attitude and practice of alcohol use in Owerri North L. G. A. of Imo

CHAPTER ONE Introduction

Background to the Study

Alcohol use and associated risk behaviours of secondary school students is a  public health concern. Excess intake of alcohol may cause accidents on the roads,  homes, and at work places. Heavy drinking is also a major cause of hooliganism, an anti-social behaviours and violence in the homes as well as of the breakdown of personal relationships (Smith & Carol, 1992). The researchers further stated that many people, however drink regularly but never  become  drunk,  violent  or  argumentative  and  so  assume  that  their  drinking  is  not harming them. The researcher that regular consumption of substantial quantity of alcohol may damage the liver, the heart and the brain and that if a high alcohol intake is maintained for many years, permanent damage  to these organs is inevitable. Different authors have varied definitions of alcohol.

Bevan (1990) stated that alcohol is a social hazard and explained that many eastern countries have banned or restricted the sale of alcohol, while in some countries  the use of alcohol has some taxes and levies attached to it thereby making it too expensive for people to buy especially the secondary school students. Equally, in certain societies, the sale of alcohol to persons under a certain age is illegal but drinking alcohol is usually allowed under parental supervision  (Pitman  &  White,  1991).  Wagman  and  Ferguson  (1997)  defined  alcohol  as members  of class of organic  compound  of  carbon, hydrogen  and  oxygen.  Procter  (1999) defined alcohol as a colourless liquid  contained in drinks such as beer, wine, spirit among others  that  can make  people  drunk.  These  can  be  considered  as  hydroxyl  derivatives  of hydrocarbon groups.  Alcohol is colourless and tasteless liquid which is highly volatile and flammable (Miller, 2004). The author also stated that alcohol is part of our social fabric, that drinking  it  has  been  viewed  as a  source  of desirable  temporary  mood  modification  and conviviality.

Bervan (1990) explained that alcohol is regarded as a drug with different  chemical ingredients that induces euphoria, sedation and intoxication .The author further stated that the occasional use of alcohol is socially acceptable while excessive use of alcoholic beverages is socially irresponsible and legally unacceptable in Australia.   Studies conducted in the 1970s on alcohol use in Nigeria focused primarily on the  drinking practices of middle-aged  and young  adult  men.  In recent  years,  however,  younger,  students  (that  is,  students  between approximately 12 and 14 years of age who are in the early grades of secondary school) have become more involved in drinking.

Availability of alcohol is one of the factors in under-age drinking, that is the degree of efforts required to obtain alcohol as determined by geographic, economic and social factors. NIAAA, (1994) stated that policy and community strategies have been used to  help reduce students access to alcohol and decrease the harmful consequences of established drinking. For instance, raising the minimum legal drinking age in secondary schools to 21, all communities and states in Austria saves estimated 20,000 lives between 1975-2000 and all states now have zero tolerance laws, which set the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers younger than age 21 at

0.00 or 0.02. This policy according to NIAAA has been associated with a 20 per cent decline in the proportion of a single vehicle, nighttime fatal crashes among drivers younger than age

21. Zimbodo (2002) revealed that the legal age for using alcohol is 21 years in most states in America. In Antario, the age is 17years, in Quebec the age is 18 years, in Nigeria there is no stated legal age but alcohol consumption is permitted to individuals at 16-18 years and above. Alcohol consumption may harm the individual’s health even if there is no addiction. Wagman and  Ferguson  (1997)  explained  that  alcohol  is any of  the  family of organic  components containing  the  atomic  group.  This  group  which  determines  the  physical  and  chemical properties of alcohol is attached to a chain of carbon atoms that also hold hydrogen atoms. The typical ethanol called ethyl alcohol or  grain alcohol is a member of a large family of components and it is the only simple one that can be consumed safely within limits. Some of the other  members  as methanol  are  highly poisonous.  Burns (1998)  viewed  alcohol  as a depressant that means that, it can  inhibit some types of natural activities that go on in the body.  Onuzulike  (2008)  added  that  alcohol  is a  liquid  with  an intoxicating  element  and substance.  The  author  explained  that  the  habit  of drinking  builds  up  gradually  and  with excessive use of alcohol, the drinker soon forms the habit of drinking to a level that he or she prefers drinking to eating his or her food. In this study, alcohol is regarded as a social hazard, a   depressant with different chemical ingredients that induces euphoria, sedation and intoxication. Estimate suggests that half of the population over the age of 14 years use alcohol at least weekly (Odejide & Olatawura, 1997). Alcohol utilization is associated with significant levels of harm among secondary school students. It contributes to a range of negative health and social consequences  including violence, and high risk of unprotected  sexual activities. Reports have it that in 1998 in the Northern part of Nigeria, 71 per cent of alcohol used by 14-

17 years old was done at medium or high risk for acute harm. Wagman and Ferguson (1997) stated  that  alcohol  generally  may  be  used  in  pharmaceuticals  and  to  sterilize  hospital equipments.  King, Ball & Carol (2003) added that 41 per cent of  14-17 years old female drinkers used alcohol at level of medium to high risk for acute harm to at least once a month.

Wagman and Ferguson (1997) stated that alcohol has three main types which include methyl (methanol) ethanol and propane alcohol Methyl or methanol alcohol is an intoxicating ingredient in fermented liquors. It is a violent poison which causes permanent blindness and death from respiratory failure (Marthin, 2003).

Methanol is used as solvent, as raw materials for the manufacture of formaldehydes and special resins, as special fuel and as cleaning agents. Industrially,  alcohol is used as a chemical because it can readily be converted into a large number of other compounds. This is done by a simple chemical reaction to yield products such as fuel and waxes, surface active agents used in detergents, lubricants, emollient and forming agents. Payne and Hahn (1997) described alcohol use in a more general way.  Alcohol use in a sense involves either taking alcohol  correctly  (once  in  a  while)  or   incorrectly  (excessively  and  regularly,  that  is undesirable  use).  The  researchers  further  described  alcohol  use  as  the  taking  of  alcohol occasionally or once in a  while,  that is correct use or proper use and in the right quantity. Incorrect use of alcohol on the other hand refers to more narrowly as alcohol misuse.

Furthermore,  Soong (2002) opined  that medically,  alcohol is used to stimulate  the body system to work faster, and its narcotic effects is useful for reducing heart pains. Alcohol is also used as sedatives to relieve depression. Alcohol is recommended  in damp and cold climates and as energy booster. Wine and spirit in French life is related to strength, courage, romance, friendship and happiness. Soong further stated that, alcohol has the power to destroy germs, reduced fever, cure cold, improve circulation and nourish the body. Alcohol use in this study refers to the intake of alcoholic substances into the body.

In  most  situations,  secondary  school  students  may  misuse,  and  abuse  alcoholic beverages. Alcohol misuse means improper use of alcohol. Payne & Hahn (1997) stated that alcohol  is  misused  when  it  is  used  inappropriately  and  in  a  large  quantity  which  may significantly increase the risk of hazard to the individual user.

Alcohol can also be abused when the intake or consumption of it at a particular time exceeds a standard drink. A standard  drink is a volume  of alcoholic  beverage  containing approximately 18 millimeter of absolute alcohol regardless of the type of beverage such as beer, rum, gin and wine (Burns, 1998).

Payne and Hahn (1997) stressed that when alcohol is used excessively,  deliberately and chronically, it is said to be abused. Alcohol is abused when it is used in a manner that can cause damage to a person’s health and makes the user to have impulsive urge to take alcohol until the drinking of alcohol affects  his power of judgment and  reasoning.  Achalu (2004) stated that alcohol abuse occurs when alcohol use is hazardous to health and when it affects the person’s ability to work and relate freely with others.  Therefore, the knowledge of the

meaning of alcohol, its effects and consequences are very important to every body especially the secondary school students such as those in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo state where the present study will be carried out.

Knowledge is the sum of what is known. Hornby (2000) stated that knowledge is fact, information,  understanding  and  skills  that  a  person  has  acquired  through  experience  or education.  This definition  refers to  the acquisition  of facts and  information  and does not indicate the processes  of acquisition.  Omeregbe  (1991)  defined  knowledge  as the facts of understanding events, issues or objects that are acquired either through learning or experience. The researcher further explained that  knowledge is broader and comes about as a result of learning via cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains. Omeregbe opined that knowledge could be justified  as the  most important  out come of learning.  Learning which results  in knowledge  can be  formal as in the case where students from secondary schools are given health talk  about  alcohol  use, its actions  and  effects  or  informal  as in a situation  where students  get  information  concerning  alcohol  use  from  their  friends,  classmates,  prints  or electronic media. The researcher further stressed that when students are well informed about the actions, effects and consequences of using alcohol, this will enhance adequate knowledge and  development  of  positive  attitude  towards  alcohol  use.  Adeleke  (1994)  stated  that knowledge  relating to alcohol use can significantly be enhanced  through health education. Adeleke  identified  that  lack  of  knowledge  as  a  diseases  in  the  life  of  many  African communities, especially in rural areas. This factor, Adeleke stated exposed rural dwellers to the  scourge  of  preventable  and  treatable  diseases  including  alcohol  ailments  which  are consequences  of over  consumption  of  alcohol.    Akpata  (1997)  added  that  knowledge  of alcohol seems to be poor among secondary school students in the rural areas. Knowledge of alcohol use in the context of this study means, the understanding or experience students from secondary schools have acquired regarding the meaning of alcohol, effects and its action on the  body.  Possession  of adequate  knowledge  regarding  alcohol  use  by secondary  school students such as those in Owerri North is of the paramount importance. Possession of correct knowledge  regarding  alcohol use will make them  to grow up with correct  knowledge  of alcohol use and develop positive alcohol attitude and practice. Having correct knowledge of alcohol use can lead to reduction in alcohol related problems or disorders.

Another common concern among secondary school students is their attitude to alcohol use. Attitude refers to people’s affective feelings of likes and dislikes. Attitude emerges out of people’s experience which can be positive or negative. It is positive when a person develops a strong attraction of his likes, situation, object, or other persons or groups. While it is negative when the person develops a strong dislike for situations,  objects, persons, groups or other

identifiable aspect of our environments.  Oserenren (1996) stated that attitude is a mental and natural  state  of readiness  organized  through  experience,  exerting  a  directive  or  dynamic influences upon the individual’s responses to all objects, events and situations to which it is related. Anderson (1998) viewed attitude as a moderately intense emotion that predisposes individuals to respond consistently in a favourable or unfavourable manner when confronted with a particular object. The researcher further added that attitude is an important determinant of behaviour which substantially influences one’s  reactions in a wide variety of situations. Abanobi (2005) opined that attitude is how  reality is perceived by the individual or group. Abanobi also stated that it is learned and that attitude towards an object, group or individual develops with time upon when, where and how it happens. Parks (2007) viewed attitude as acquired characteristics  of  an  individual,  which predispose him or her to respond in some preferential  manner.  Attitude  when  used  in relation  to  alcohol use is termed  alcohol use attitude. Applying this in the present study, alcohol use attitude means the feelings, beliefs and actual action the secondary school students have towards events, situations and issues relating to alcohol use. In this study, alcohol use attitude refers to a feeling, emotion, or thinking that predisposes  secondary  school  students  to  respond  either  positively  or  negatively  towards alcohol use, towards people suffering from effects of alcohol and towards people withdrawing from excessive drinking.

Practice refers to a way of doing something regularly. Hornby (2005) defined practice as a systematic  repetition  of an exercise,  performance  or behaviour.  Relating  this  to  the present study, alcohol use practice refers to a way of using alcohol which could be habitual or systematic as in a situation where one takes alcohol regularly or once he/she feels like taking

it.

Secondary school students should be well informed about the dangers of using alcohol. A student according to Hornby (2005) is a person who is studying at a school especially at secondary school. Secondary school students typically range from eleven to about seventeen years in an ideal situation. They consist of junior secondary school one to three (11-14yeras) and senior  secondary school one to three (15-17  years). The later  groups of students are usually full of youthful exuberance and are under peer group influence. As members of peer group, they like experimenting with a lot of things including taking alcohol. For the purpose of this present study, secondary school students are those persons between the ages of 11-

17years who are studying in secondary schools  (Nigeria  Demographic  and Health  Survey DHS 1990). It can be agreed that when students in the secondary schools acquired adequate knowledge on alcohol use, its effects and consequences, it will help them to avoid situations which can lead to alcohol ailments

Beckin (1990) stated that consistent consumption of alcohol leads to an inflammation of the stomach accompanied with nausea and loss of appetite. Johnson and Sedlacek (1997) stated  that  the  health effect  of alcohol  in a person  is determined  by  the blood  alcoholic concentration (BAC).  Johnson and Sedlacek further stressed that since alcohol is classified as a central nervous depressant; it interferes with or depresses the function of nerves, muscles and many other body tissues with stupor, unconsciousness and even cause death.

Psychologically,  alcohol  encourages  different  effects  on behaviour  and produces  a

phenomenon known as state dependency, while alcohol makes some people feel relaxed and mildly euphoric,  it causes  wild  agitation,  extreme  mood  swings  and violent  behaviour  in others. Alcohol leads to tolerance (lower sensitivity to alcohol) and  increased discomfort. It produces a chronic behavioural disorder popularly known as alcoholism (Marvinga, 1995). Odejide  and  Olatawura  (1997)  were of the  view  that  alcoholics  are  susceptible  to  heart attacks,  ashma,  ulcer,  cirrhosis  of  the  lever  and  hypertension  and  are  likelier  to  die  of pneumonia or influenza.

Onuzulike (2008) stated that one of the greatest demerits of alcohol is that it provokes loquaciousness  and  unexpected  change  in mood  and  occasionally  uncontrolled  emotional displays.  The  author  maintained  that  alcoholics  do  not  concentrate  on  their  jobs,  class activities  especially  where  high  level  of  mental  alertness  is  required.  Secondary  school students who engage  in alcohol perform  poorly  in their academics  and they like breaking school rules and regulations. Onuzulike added that due to their behaviour in addition to poor performance   in  their   academic  works,  they  lose  their  friends  and  have  poor  family relationship. Glassco (1997) stated that social rejection leads the alcoholics to drink more and more,  thus  adding  to  their  problems.  Trumbo  (2007)  stated  that  signs  and  symptoms  of alcoholics include: inability to sleep for extended periods of time, social withdrawal, inability to cope with minor problems, aggressiveness, hostility from someone who is usually passive and compliant, dropping out of school and activities and deterioration and abandonment of personal hygiene.   If secondary school students possess adequate  knowledge on alcohol, it will help them to develop measures for the control and  prevention of ailments and effects caused by alcohol.

Wagman  and Ferguson  (1997) opined  that  in order to stop  the dinking habit,  two approaches  are  adopted.  They  are  gradual  withdrawal  and  alcohol  education.  Gradual withdrawal means when a person who is dependent on alcohol gradually reduces the quantity he uses or even abstains completely from it. According to Willing and Beckin (1990) those wishing to stop drinking should take time off from drinking and learn to say no when drink is offered to them. Gradual withdrawal is based essentially on modification or complete change

in alcohol behaviour. It requires determination and will-power. Alcohol education is the most important approach to the control of alcohol consumption. It will make people aware of the legal, medical and overall consequences of alcohol. Alcohol education should not be limited to students. Working adolescents and those in the rural communities, need as much alcohol education as those in schools and towns.  Onuzulike  (2008) added that a system of public education methods should be adopted.  These include the use of mass media (news papers, radio, television programmes) where experts in alcohol problems discuss them in these media, the setting up of an alcohol education centres to provide education and training, run seminars, conferences and course related to alcohol use.

This present study is anchored on three theories. These theories are: critical knowledge theory,  theory  of  reasoned  action  and  self  efficacy  theory.    Critical  knowledge  theory approaches  knowledge  as an on going dialogue  (Dignam,  1992).  The theory of reasoned action was designed  to explain not just health behaviour  but  also all rational behaviours. While self efficacy theory implies that one is capable of controlling his practice of a particular behavior.

There are some demographic  factors that are associated  with students’  alcohol  use knowledge, attitude and practice. These factors are, gender, class level and location. Gender is one  of  the  factors  that  are  associated  with  alcohol  use.  Studies  have  reported  a  higher percentage of drinkers among males than among female collegians. Strans and Becon (1993), in their studies reported higher percentage of drinkers among boys than among girls.   The same was also found by Rogers (1995) at a mid-western  university,  and later by Glassco (1997) at a Southern State University. In their studies, they observed that males tend to have a higher percentage of drinking problems than females. In response to the query “Does drinking interfere with school, (ie missing class)”? Fifteen point one per cent of the male drinkers at a western university agreed that it sometimes did, while seven point nine per cent of the females drinkers  responded  in the  same way (Kuder  & Madson  2006). When asked  do  you stop drinking before you get drunk? twenty nine per cent of the female drinkers reported that they always did, while only 19.4 per cent of the males responded in the same way.

Kendal (1990) observed in his study on alcohol and class level that individuals with higher   educational   status   have   better   opportunities   to   gaining   economic   status   and consequently  the  purchasing  power  of  goods  and  services  thus  showing  that  alcohol consumption increases with class level. Banks and Smith (1998) observed that students at a large  mid  western  university  drink  beer  (95%)  followed   by  spirit  (90%)     and  wine (87%).Similarly,  in their   samples of new England college students, a higher percentage of

university students were found to drink more often, to consume more and to experience more drinking problems than college students.

Besides, gender and class level, another variable that seems to be associated with the knowledge, attitude and practice of alcohol use is location. Johnson and sadlaeck(1997) stated that students from rural areas take alcohol at their own apartment or houses while  those from urban areas use alcohol most often in restaurants, public places or louges. Walter and Lorch (1998)  reported that higher proportion  of secondary school  students from urban areas use alcohol more frequently than those in the rural areas and therefore experience more drinking problems than students from the rural areas. Following from the above, the need to investigate alcohol use knowledge, attitude and practice among secondary school students can not be over emphasized. This is the basis for the present study in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.

Statement of the Problem

Evidence by smith and carol (1992) revealed that over consumption of alcohol is  a major health hazard which adds to many of society’s problems contributing to about one third of road traffic accidents as well as to anti-social behaviour, crime, violence  rapes, assault, murder,  unprotected   sex,  suicides,  break  down  of  personal   relationships  and  loss  of productivity due to alcoholic ailments.

Specifically since 1977 both availability and consumption of alcoholic beverages have increased  substantially  among  young  Nigerians  particularly,   secondary  school  students between the ages of 11 and 17 years. Odejide and Olatawura (1997) conducted a study of the drinking practices among secondary school students in Ibadan and found out that, the use of alcohol is more prevalent  among the age bracket of 11-20  years. Some  secondary school students  are within that age bracket.  Consequently,  secondary  school  students  are mostly ignorant of some of the consequences of excessive drinking as most of them go into drinking due to peer pressure, cultism, family problems and act of emulation (Barnes, 1997).

Culturally,  Owerri North indigenes where the present study will be carried out  are naturally social. They like social gatherings and when such gatherings are made,  drinking began.  Therefore,   the  attitude  of  a  particular   culture  also   influence   rate   of  alcohol consumption of the people. The culture of people play a role in the behaviour of people and high rate of drinking are common in cultures that seems to have no  standard about how to drink and how much to drink (Helman, 2002).some secondary school student in Owerri North engaged in excessive alcohol intake that is why they always face low academic performances

unnecessary  rebellion  against  constituted  authority  by rioting  which  some  times  lead  to destruction of school properties or even loss of lives.

There is evidence that alcohol education content is in-corporated into the  secondary school health science curriculum (Federal Ministry of education, FMOE 1995), but whether the content is adequately taught to students is another thing. Following from this, it would be reasonable to find out how much knowledge  students  in Owerri North Local Government have regarding alcohol use, misuse and abuse and their attitude to and practice toward alcohol use.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to determine alcohol use knowledge, attitude and practice among  secondary school students  in Owerri North Local Government  Area of  Imo State. Specifically, the study seeks to find out the:

1.        students’ level of knowledge regarding alcohol use , misuse and abuse.

2.        students’ attitude towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse.

3.        students’ alcohol use practice, misuse and abuse.

4.        students’ level of knowledge of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to gender,

5.        students’  level  of  knowledge  of  alcohol  use,  misuse  and  abuse  according  to location.

6.        Students’ level of  knowledge of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to class level.

7.        Students’ attitude towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according  to gender.

8.        Students’ attitude towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to location.

9.        Students’ attitude towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to class level.

10.      Students’ alcohol use  practice, misuse and abuse according to gender.

11.      Students’ alcohol use practice, misuse and abuse according to location.

12.      Students’ alcohol use practice, misuse and abuse according to class level.

Research Questions

To guide this present study, the following research questions are posed

1.        What  is the  students’  level of knowledge  regarding  alcohol  use  ,  misuse  and abuse?

2.        What is the attitude of students towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse?

3.        What is the students’ alcohol use practice, misuse and abuse?

4.        What is the difference in students’ level of knowledge of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to gender.

5.        What is the difference in students’ level of knowledge of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to location.

6.        What  is  the  students’  level  of  knowledge  of  alcohol  use,  misuse  and  abuse according to class level.

7.        What is the difference in students’ attitude towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to gender.

8.        What is the difference in students attitudes towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to location.

9.        What is the difference in students’ attitude towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to class level

10.      What  is  the  difference  in  students’  alcohol  use  practice,  misuse  and  abuse according to gender.

11.      What  is  the  difference  in  students’  alcohol  use  practice,  misuse  and  abuse according to location.

12.      What  is  the  difference  in  students’  alcohol  use  practice,  misuse  and  abuse according to class level.

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses are postulated and will be tested at .05 level of significance.

1.        There is no statistically significant difference in the students’ level of knowledge of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to gender.

2.        There is no statistically significant difference in the students’ level of knowledge of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to location.

3.        There is no statistically significant  difference  in the knowledge  of alcohol  use, misuse and abuse according to class level.

4.        There  is no  statistically  significant  difference  in the  students’  attitude  towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to gender.

5.        There  is no  statistically  significant  difference  in the  students’  attitude  towards alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to location.

6.        There  is no  statistically  significant  difference  in the  student’s  attitude  towards alcohol used, misuse and abuse according to class level.

7.        There is no statistically significant difference in the students’ practice of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according gender.

8.        There is no statistically significant difference in the student’s practice of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according to location.

9.        There is no statistically significant difference in the student’s practice of alcohol use, misuse and abuse according class level.

Significance of the Study

The findings from this study may be of immense benefit to secondary school students in particular and the wider public in general. Specifically, data generated by determining level of knowledge possessed by the students regarding alcohol use, misuse and abuse will help the students, health educators and school authorities. The data may help in exposing the level of knowledge which the students possess in area of alcohol use misuse and abuse. The data will help the health educators and school authorities to know the alcohol education needs of the students as well as help them to design learning experiences on how to avoid the practice of alcohol misuse and alcohol abuse. This will encourage correct alcohol practice and reduce health and social consequences of alcohol misuse and abuse.

The data generated  on students attitude toward alcohol use, misuse and abuse  will benefit health education teachers, ministries of Health and Education to determine the area students need more information.  It will also help curriculum planners  to  know areas they should  lay more  emphasis  while  planning  the  health  education  curriculum.  It  will  assist parents and school counselors in determining areas where students need more counseling on alcohol use and alcohol related matters. The data will also help the students to exhibit proper attitude toward alcohol use, misuse and abuse so as to escape from being victims of problems and consequences of alcohol use.

Data will be generated on the proportion of students who posses knowledge of correct alcohol use or who misuse and abuse alcohol. The data will be useful to the health educators, and  parent  to  know  the  areas  to  lay  emphasis  while  carrying  out   alcohol  education programmers.

The findings regarding the difference in the students level of knowledge, attitude and practice according to socio demographic variables of gender, location and level of education will be useful to health educators, parents and counselor to determine the   group that needs more alcohol education and counseling. The finding will be useful to heath educators, parents and teachers to determine  which location needs more health  education on alcohol use and alcohol related  matters than the other.  It will also  reveal  the proportion  of students  who practice correct alcohol use and those who misuse and  abuse alcohol. It will assist health educators, teachers, parents and the ministry of education to know which gender needs more health education on alcohol use.

The finding will also be useful to students for example, if the students know the health risks involves  in alcohol dependence,  effects and consequences,  they would  avoid use of alcohol and practice of alcohol misuse and alcohol abuse.

Finally, the result of the study will help to verify the relevance of some knowledge, attitude  and practice theories to alcohol use knowledge,  attitude and  practice.  The critical knowledge theory, theory of reasoned action and self efficacy theory will be adopted.

Scope of the Study

The study will be delimited to all the government owned secondary schools in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State. This will cover both co-educational schools and single gender schools that are using the same curriculum. The study will cover the knowledge, attitude  and practice of secondary school students on alcohol use,  misuse and abuse. The study will also examine  factors such as gender,  location and  class level as they relate to knowledge, attitude and practice of alcohol use among secondary school students.

The study will delimited  to only state or government  owned  secondary schools  in Owerri  North  Local  Government  Area  of  Imo  State.  These  schools  have  homogenous regulations  governing  them  than  the  other  secondary  schools  owned  privately,  federal Government or religious organizations. In addition their curriculum is the same whether for boys, girls or co-educational schools.

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