# Drug Abuse Educational Program for Saudi University Students: A Pre-test and Post-test Design

## TL;DR

This study shows that an educational program increased Saudi university students' awareness about drug abuse.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in evaluating a tailored drug abuse educational program for Saudi university students using a pre-test and post-test design.

## Key findings

- Students had prior knowledge about drug use, but it was limited.
- The educational program significantly improved students' awareness of drug abuse.
- The study highlights the effectiveness of educational interventions in this context.

## Abstract

Background and objective

Designing a consistent preventive drug abuse program and evaluating the educational needs of diverse target groups, school curricula, and new instructional materials customized to a country's socioeconomic and cultural characteristics should be used. This research aims to assess the influence of an educational program on university students' awareness of drug abuse.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study using a pre-test questionnaire with predetermined questions was conducted with 102 participants. The educational program about drug abuse prevention measures was subsequently implemented. After the program was completed, a post-test was administered to the students, and the results were compared to the pre-test results. The data were collected from male and female Saudi students at a university in the western area of Saudi Arabia.

Results

The pre-test findings indicate that the students had already received some information on drug use and abuse, but the post-test results show that their awareness rose as a result of the drug abuse educational program.

Conclusion

Drug abuse is a major problem all across the world, including in Saudi Arabia. However, educational programs will help to increase knowledge and awareness of this issue.