Peer pressure drug abuse and risky sexual behaviour among Makerere University students

Abstract

Peer pressure means to conform to a group norm, or to gain acceptance by its members, this focuses attention on the need to adopt or reject certain behaviour. Peers may influence other young people to engage in or refrain from substance use through peer group structure (Kuntsche & Jordan, 2006). According to Adegbenro (2004), a peer group is defined as a small group of similar age, fairly close friends, sharing the same activities. Peer influence seems to be the most important factor in adolescents‟ decision-making and risk-taking behaviour. Affiliation with delinquent peers and having sexually active friends are two significant factors for initiation of early sexual intercourse among adolescents (Yi, Poudel, Yasuoka, Palmer, & Jimba, 2010). According to Clasen and Brown (1985), peer groups encourage teens to act contrary to their parents' wishes. Risky Sexual Behaviour is a persistent social and health problem, especially among adolescents (Archibong, 1991). Risky sexual behaviours include; pre-marital sexual experience at an early age (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010), failure to use condoms and birth control, having a large number of lifetime sex partners, nondiscriminating sex-partner recruiting patterns, participating in concurrent sex partnerships, and having sex after heavy alcohol consumption (Aral, 2001; Cook & Clark, 2005; Hoyle, Fejfar, & Miller, 2000). Risky sexual behaviour poses significant health risks by increasing sexually transmitted infections (STDs) and unintended pregnancies (Lansford, Dodge, Fontaine, Bates, & Pettit, 2014). The grave consequences of STD include cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and complications in pregnancy (Aral, 2001). The consequences of unplanned pregnancy include medical, social, financial, and psychological difficulties (Delgado-Rodriguez et al., 1997; Fullerton et al., 1997; Geller)