Abstract
Objective: The purpose of this study was to clarify the problems and needs of drug abuse prevention education efforts from the perspective of the universities, and to examine how best to provide drug abuse prevention education for Japanese university students.
Methods: A cross-sectional investigation was conducted among persons in charge of drug abuse prevention education programs at Japan's 746 universities. Ultimately, 486 respondents completed the self-report questionnaire (response rate: 65.1%). The contents of the survey covered current status of drug abuse prevention education programs and problems faced in their delivery, frequency of drug abuse incidents, and methods of drug abuse prevention education used at the university.
Results: Although 89.5% of the respondents recognized the need for drug abuse prevention education, 74.1% identified obstacles including a lack of time for such programs and inherent difficulties in gathering students to participate. By conjoint analysis, the key educational conditions sought by universities were found to include access by more students with a fewer number of sessions. On the other hand, at universities with high drug abuse rates, the tendency differs from the whole and lecturer selection becomes increasingly important.
Conclusions: The results of the study highlighted the limitations of drug abuse prevention education programs at Japanese universities, which tended to be most readily implemented at those universities where drug abuse incidents did not occur. An effective educational program that can be easily conducted within universities' limited conditions and educational frameworks must be developed.
