Individual Factors Associated with Substance Use Among Rural High School Learners in Limpopo, South Africa ^†

Background:

Substance use among high school learners is a major public health problem across the world, including in South Africa. Substance use has devastating effects on learners’ health, social well-being, and their educational outcomes.

Objectives:

This article sought to explore the individual factors associated with substance use among high school learners in the Motetema Circuit, South Africa. Furthermore, it looked at the lived experiences of substance use among high school learners.

Methods:

A qualitative research approach and the phenomenological research design were used to explore the factors associated with individual substance use among high school learners. Ten learners, including five boys and five girls from participating high schools in the Motetema educational circuit, and seven key informants in the same area, were interviewed. The sample size was determined by data saturation. Thematic steps for a qualitative approach were followed to analyse data.

Results:

The study found that individual factors such as peer pressure, personal problems, family problems, inadequate knowledge about substances and their effects, inadequate parental involvement, ill-informed decision making and lack of supervision contributed to the increased use of substances by high school learners in the Motetema educational circuit, Limpopo, South Africa.

Conclusions:

The findings of the study point to the fact that substance use prevention activities ought to be improved through consistent education and targeted awareness campaigns in local schools involving relevant stakeholders. Learners should receive constant psychosocial support, behavioural modification programs, and mental health services to cope with personal problems that expose them to substance use. Educators also need to be empowered to impart relevant and age-appropriate information to learners and provide mental health support services to cope with disruptive and uncontrollable learners at school.