Assess the Knowledge of the Impact of Substance Abuse Among Patients with Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Background and Aim: Substance abuse, particularly alcohol dependence, poses significant health and social challenges. Patients with alcohol dependence often lack adequate knowledge about the broad impacts of substance abuse on their physical, psychological, and social well-being. This study aims to assess the knowledge levels regarding the impact of substance abuse among patients with alcohol dependence. Methods: A Pre-experimental (One group pretest-posttest) research design was used research design was employed. A total of 100 patients with alcohol dependence were selected using purposive sampling from a de-addiction center. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, which was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The findings revealed that the majority of participants (65%) had inadequate knowledge about the impacts of substance abuse, 25% demonstrated moderate knowledge, and only 10% had adequate knowledge. Statistical analysis showed significant improvements in knowledge levels post-intervention. The knowledge scores were significantly influenced by demographic factors such as age, education level, and duration of alcohol dependence, with p-values of 0.04, 0.03, and 0.02, respectively. The chi-square values for these associations were 7.89, 8.24, and 6.57, indicating that these factors significantly impacted the knowledge scores. Furthermore, the paired t-test results for pre-test and post-test knowledge scores showed a significant improvement (t-value = 8.62, p < 0.05), confirming the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing the participant's understanding of the impact of substance abuse. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for targeted educational interventions to improve awareness about the adverse effects of substance abuse among patients with alcohol dependence.