The Model Development on Prevention for Drug Problems Among Students of Non-Formal Education in Phayao Province

Abstract

          This research and development endeavor aims to investigate drug addiction issues, devise a prevention model, and assess its efficacy among students in alternative education programs in Phayao province. The study involves a sample group comprising public health officers, community leaders, teachers, and high school students, totaling 360 individuals. The research unfolds in three phases: 1) probing drug addiction issues, 2) formulating a prevention model, and 3) gauging the model's effectiveness. Research instruments include questionnaires with tool reliability scores ranging from 0.86 to 0.97. Statistical analyses encompass descriptive statistics and paired t-tests.
          The results  showed  that: 1) prevailing substance abuse among students stands at 35.83%, with alcohol being the most commonly abused substance at 37.45%, followed by cigarette/electronic cigarette smoking at 34.26%, marijuana at 14.74%, kratom at 11.95%, and methamphetamine at 1.59%. Statistically significant correlations (p-value < 0.05) were noted between substance abuse and variables such as average monthly income, pre-existing medical conditions, living arrangements, perception of substance abuse, supportive factors, and reinforcing factors. 2) The prevention model comprises five operational strategies: (1) Establishing student support systems, (2) Enhancing social immunity, (3) Implementing the "To Be Number One" project, (4) Preventing and addressing substance abuse issues (alcohol/cigarettes), and (5) Developing information dissemination systems, documents, and media related to substance abuse. 3) Evaluation outcomes indicate significant enhancements in life skills, perception of substance abuse, and preventive behaviors among the sample group post-program completion (p < 0.001). Notable reductions in cigarette/electronic cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption behaviors were observed. Hence, it is recommended to extend the program's reach to other areas through ongoing collaboration among teachers, parents, students, community leaders, and public health officials to sustain efforts in substance abuse prevention and intervention.