Community Perceived Burden towards Drug Abuse Intervention among Youths in Kihesa Ward, Iringa Tanzania

Purpose: The study sought to answer two objectives which were to describe community involvement in intervening drug abuse cases and explore community experienced challenges throughout drug abuse cases intervention among youths in Kihesa Ward. 

Method: The study employed a qualitative approach, phenomenological design, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) to collect data from 6 secondary school students, 5 university students, 2 health professionals, 4 local leaders, 2 recovering addicts, 2 parents, and 1 sober house manager who were obtained using quota and purposive sampling techniques. The obtained findings were analysed using thematic analysis to produce themes which were constructed out of respondents’ shared opinions, and presented in verbatim quotes. 

Findings: The findings indicate that community members of Kihesa Ward have been involved in drug abuse interventions through making referrals of identified drug abuse cases, engaging in educational and awareness sessions, collaborating with law enforcement institutions and encouraging spiritual matters so as to sensitize about the evil of drug abuse. Moreover, the study identified stigma and peer rejection, parental denial, limited resources, family financial struggles, cultural acceptance of alcohol use, and unintegrated interventions to be the challenges experienced during interventions.

Conclusion: Therefore, based on such findings, drug abuse cases among youths in Kihesa community are hardly intervened due to various setbacks including sociocultural, cultural and family challenges. 

Recommendations: The study recommends that the government authorities and other volunteers should implement well-resourced and organized community-tailored programs so as to secure youth’s wellbeing. It also emphasizes parents and families, social welfare officers, local leaders, and all who are concerned with the welfare of youths to be involved in drug abuse education and interventions so as to strategically help to resolve drug abuse cases among youths.