Research among School Children in Uzbekistan
Research in Uzbekistan on social aspects of the behaviour of school children in grades 9-11 was implemented by the NGO Centre for Youth Initiatives (ATLAS), the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Faculty of Economy and the Organization of Public Health at the Tashkent Institute for the Ongoing Education of Health Professionals, and the NGO Qalb Sadosi with financial (through DAPC grant) and advisory support (international questionnaire) from the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia.
The survey was conducted in six regions of Uzbekistan: Tashkent city, and Tashkent, Fergana, Surkhandarya, Samarkand and Khorezm regions. The survey included 5,500 school children aged 14-17 in grades 9-11 in urban secondary schools. An international standardized survey was used for the study after being modified for the situation in Uzbekistan.
The results show that 3 per cent of the respondents already have experience with drugs and that another 2 per cent feel the urge to try them. Thirty-three per cent of those who have experience with drugs do not identify themselves with drug users. Most respondents sympathize with drug users, while around one third of the consider that drug users have to be isolated from society. Most of the respondents were willing to get more information about the consequences of drug use from parents, teachers, school doctors and the mass media.
Based on the results of the survey, recommendations have been elaborated on the improvement of prevention activities among school children for interested ministries, makhallas (neighbourhoods), NGOs and the mass media. They will also be reflected in a new prevention project.
