PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES OF YOUTHS IN OSUN STATE TOWARDS SOCIAL MEDIA ADVOCACY ON DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION.

Abstract

The rise of drug abuse among youth populations globally necessitates innovative prevention strategies, including the use of social media. This study investigated the perception and attitude of youths in Osun State, Nigeria, towards social media advocacy for drug abuse prevention. The research objectives involve assessing the awareness levels, attitudes, and perceived benefits of social media advocacy in drug abuse prevention. It also aims to identify potential barriers and the impact of social media content on the target audience. The study conducted a survey. The questionnaire was the major instrument for eliciting responses. The findings showed that the extent of awareness among youths in Osun State, regarding drug abuse prevention through social media advocacy is relatively high. Based on the findings the attitude of youths towards the effectiveness of social media in preventing drug abuse is generally positive. Findings also showed that the perceived benefits of using social media for drug abuse prevention, as perceived by youths in Osun State include its ability to reach a larger audience, its cost-effectiveness, and its potential to create a sense of community and support among advocates. Additionally, findings showed that the main barriers or challenges identified by youths that may hinder the effectiveness of social media advocacy in drug abuse prevention include lack of technical skills, limited access to technology, and low engagement from the target audience. The study thus concludes that the potential of social media if fully harnessed can help fight drug abuse. Thus it was recommended that collaborations between government agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders can also help in creating effective and sustainable social media advocacy campaigns for drug abuse prevention.