Substance Use and Misuse in sub-Saharan Africa: Trends, Intervention, and Policy

This book brings together scholars from across the behavioural sciences and public health to examine substance use in Sub-Saharan Africa. Divided into two parts, the first chapters examine aetiology, signs and symptoms, risk factors, impact, and psychosocial challenges relating to use of conventional drugs, among others. The second section focuses on prevention and intervention strategies to curtail substance abuse. The authors provide a research-informed, practical resource on sustainable community health concepts, procedures and practices for addressing substance use for the health and wellbeing of partner communities.

The prevention and intervention strategies discussed include a comprehensive consideration of context-specific behavioural, environmental, psychosocial and cultural factors that may affect substance use. The chapters examine various aspects of use including, dependency, intoxication, and withdrawal in tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other substances. The book provides a research-informed, practical resource that will appeal to students and scholars of psychology, psychiatry and public health; as well as to policymakers and practitioners in the fields of addiction, development and allied health.