Pilot study of the relationship between drug misuse and violence among drug addicts in greater accra, Ghana : the south of Saharan Africa case

ENGLISH :
The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between drug use/misuse and the prevalence of violence in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was undertaken as a pilot study to provide direction for a large-scale, systematic, countrywide or regional analysis. Hypotheses tested include the following: 1) drug use/misuse is related to violent behavior; 2) drug use/misuse is related to predatory violent behavior; and 3) drug use/misuse increases the likelihood that those addicted to drugs will commit violent acts. In order to test these hypotheses, two data sets were used to increase the robustness of the study. The first data set was collected during the summer of 1996, and was based on a self-reported survey of 117 subjects (17 women and 100 men), from different neighborhoods in Greater Accra and from different ethnic groups, mean age of 32, most were unemployed. The second data set was collected during the summer of 1997, based on a self-reported survey of 216 (45 women and 171 men) subjects from different neighborhoods in Greater Accra, from different ethnic groups, mean age of 31, most of whom were also unemployed. All hypotheses were confirmed by analysis of the data collected. This suggests that an expanded, countrywide study using the same procedures and instrumentation would provide a meaningful foundation for sound decisions by governmental officials and policy-makers in dealing with drug use and violence in Ghana. Further, the approach could serve as a model for other countries addressing similar problems. (Editor's abstract.)