Research Article
Prevalence and Determinants of Substance Use Among Youths in a Tertiary Institution in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
34-44
Received:
26 May 2026
Accepted:
5 June 2026
Published:
26 June 2026
Abstract: Substance use is a growing pandemic that is ravaging the youth at an alarming rate. The study aims to investigate the prevalence and determinants of substance use among youths in a tertiary institution in Ekiti State, Nigeria. An institutional-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, sampling a total of 480 undergraduate students. A pretested, semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire was adapted from the literatures. All data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Multi-level data analysis was conducted with a clear progression from univariate, bivariate to multivariate analysis, with p-value set at P<0.05. The lifetime prevalence of substance use was 361 (78.5%). The three commonest substances used were alcohol (98.1%), cannabis (17.5%) and tobacco products (16.3%). The three factors that were significant predictors associated with substance use among the youths include the male sex (OR=2.2; 95% CI=1.02-4.13; P 0.044), age (OR=14.11; 95% CI=1.45-133.88; P 0.022), and peers and roommates’ use of psychoactive substances (OR = 19.58: 95 CI = 4.95-77.50); P 0.000). The prevalence of substance use among the students in a tertiary institution in Ekiti State was high. The significant predictors of high prevalence of substance used were the male sex, age, and peers and roommate’s use of substance. There is a need for appropriate authorities to use the informed targeted intervention through the identified risk factors to stem the tide before it ravages our youth.
Abstract: Substance use is a growing pandemic that is ravaging the youth at an alarming rate. The study aims to investigate the prevalence and determinants of substance use among youths in a tertiary institution in Ekiti State, Nigeria. An institutional-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti, sampling a total of 480 under...
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Commentary
New Insights into the Mechanisms of Genetic Toxicity Damage
Maojin Li*
Issue:
Volume 14, Issue 3, June 2026
Pages:
45-58
Received:
10 June 2026
Accepted:
22 June 2026
Published:
8 July 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ejpm.20261403.12
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: The damage of genetic toxicity generally refers to the damage to human genetic material, chromatin or DNA. The genotoxic damage biomarkers such as the gene mutations (GM), chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronucleus (MN), nuclear abnormalities (NAM), and the abnormal DNA methylation are also the results and manifestations of the genotoxic damage (GTD). The genotoxic damage is essentially the cell nuclear damage, which includes not only the chromatin or DNA damage but also the damage to other molecules. The mild DNA damage involving only a few bases and affecting only one gene is called gene mutation. The severe DNA damage involving large fragments or entire chromosomes and affecting multiple genes is called chromosomal aberration. The chromatin or DNA damage mainly affects the gene structure, while other molecular damage mainly affects the gene switching (gene expression and regulation). Traditionally, the genotoxic damage only refers to the abnormal gene structure, while the epigenetics only refers to the abnormality of gene expression and regulation caused by the abnormal DNA methylation. Therefore, both classical genetics and epigenetics are not comprehensive and perfect enough. The nuclear damage (ND) affects not only morphology and structure of cell nucleus but also the function. The nuclear abnormalities usually refer to the abnormalities in the morphology and structure of nuclei. The micronucleus is both a chromosomal fragment and a nuclear abnormality. The abnormal nuclear functions mainly include the abnormalities in replication and transcription, disruption of differentiation status, alteration of profiles of gene expression, and the dysfunction of DNA transcription-protein synthesis. The nuclear damage can affect the functional state and biological behavior of cells, leading to reduced cell function, easy shedding, uncontrollability, immune tolerance, and susceptibility to carcinogenesis or metaplasia. Aging, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, degenerative diseases, autoimmune diseases and so on, are probably caused by the nuclear damage, and belong to the diseases of nuclear dysfunction. The current biomedicine originates from the cytotoxic damage (essentially non-nuclear damage), and the diseases discussed are inflammatory allergic diseases. Since the genotoxic damage has not been grasped from the perspective of the entire cell nucleus, it is impossible to provide a reasonable explanation for the above-mentioned chronic and refractory diseases. The current biomedicine belongs to "the static medicine (SM)", whose theoretical basis is "the molecular-organism", ignoring the cell as a cornerstone or link. It is necessary to establish a "dynamic medicine (DM)" model or concept based on "the molecular-cell-organism" as the theoretical foundation.
Abstract: The damage of genetic toxicity generally refers to the damage to human genetic material, chromatin or DNA. The genotoxic damage biomarkers such as the gene mutations (GM), chromosomal aberrations (CA), micronucleus (MN), nuclear abnormalities (NAM), and the abnormal DNA methylation are also the results and manifestations of the genotoxic damage (GT...
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