Assessment of Substance Abuse on the Health and Productivity of Secondary School Teachers Aged 25 to 65 in Lusaka District, Zambia
Ngosa Chibuye* and Tinkler Saul Simbeye
ABSTARCT
Introduction: Substance abuse refers to the harmful or dangerous use of psychoactive substances such as alcohol and illicit drugs. Illicit drugs have significant negative health effects on members of society, including secondary school teachers. It also places a substantial financial burden on families, individuals, and the wider community. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of substance abuse on the health and productivity of teachers aged 25 to 65 in certain randomly selected secondary schools within Lusaka District of Zambia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was utilized to evaluate these effects among secondary school teachers in Lusaka district. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 300 study participants for the study. Ethical approval was obtained from The University of Zambia Biomedical Research Ethics Committee (UNZABREC) -REF. No. 5915-2024, Lusaka Provincial Education Office, and Lusaka District Education Board Secretary (LDEBS) before data collection process commenced. Respondents were informed that participation in the study was entirely voluntary and that they were free to withdraw at any time without any form of coercion. In addition, a written and signed informed consent form was obtained from all study participants before they were given a structured questionnaire to complete. Primary data were collected using a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions and was analysed using SPSS version 28 and the results were presented in tables and pie charts.
Results: The study found that most participants were married (75.0%) and identified as Christians (86.7%). Additionally, the findings revealed that a majority of respondents (70%) abused drugs, while a smaller proportion (30%) did not, indicating a high prevalence of substance abuse among secondary school teachers in Lusaka District. Most respondents (62.2%) reported that substance abuse had severe negative effects on their physical and mental health, while a smaller proportion (22%) stated that it had a moderate negative impact. The study further revealed that a small proportion of respondents (9%) indicated that substance abuse had no effects on the mental and physical health of teachers in the workplace environments. Additionally, 6.8% of the study participants reported mild negative effects on the mental and physical health of secondary school teachers in Lusaka District in Zambia. Moreover, the study demonstrated that substance abuse minimally affected the productivity of most respondents (32.5%), whereas 30.4% of participants indicated that drug abuse significantly impacted their productivity levels at the place of work. The study further found that 29.6% of respondents reported that substance abuse had an extremely negative impact on the productivity of secondary school teachers, while 7% reported a moderate impact. Additionally, 3.5% of study participants indicated that substance abuse had no impact on the productivity of teachers in the workplace environment.
Conclusion: All in all, the study demonstrates a high prevalence of substance abuse among secondary school teachers in Lusaka District, with the majority reporting severe negative effects on their physical and ental health as well as substantial reductions in workplace productivity. Although a small proportion of respondents perceived minimal or no impact, the overall findings indicate that substance abuse poses a significant occupational and public health concern within the teaching profession. The researcher therefore recommends that the Lusaka District Education Board Secretary (LDEBS) and the Ministry of Education in Zambia, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) should implement comprehensive stress management programs in secondary schools to help teachers cope with the pressures of their profession. The investigator further recommends that, Lusaka District Education Board Secretary, Lusaka District Health Office, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health inZambia, in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), should embark on conducting awareness campaigns for teachers in econdary schools on the effects of substance abuse through health education, health communication, community engagement, and social mobilization.
