Factors Influencing Alcohol Abuse Among Youth In Kamuli Municipality.

Abstract

Background: Alcohol abuse is a pattern of drinking that result in harm to one’s health, interpersonal relationships or ability to work. Certain manifestations of alcohol abuse include failure to fulfill responsibilities at work, school or home; drinking in dangerous situations such as while driving; and continued drinking despite problems that are caused or worsened by drinking. Alcohol abuse can lead to alcohol dependence.

Objective: The purpose of study was to investigate the factors influencing alcohol abuse among youth in Kamuli municipality

Methods: This was a cross-sectional and descriptive in nature, employing quantitative method of data collection was used to assess factors influencing alcohol abuse among youth in Kamuli municipality among 301 youth workers using multistage sampling methods, data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Results: From the data analyzed, the level of alcohol abuse was 75.5% and age (P=0.000), gender (P=0.000), marital status (P=0.003), education level (P=0.007), religion(P=0.006), occupation (P=0.002), monthly income level (P=0.001), parents who drinks (P=0.020), social media effect(P=0.000), peer influence(P=0.000), advertisement(P=0.000), doctrine (P=0.000), alcohol policy(P=0.001), distance to the alcohol source(P=0.001), drinking pattern in the locality(P=0.000), sharing alcohol with parents(P=0.000), and constant availability of alcohol in the community (P=0.000) were significantly associated with alcohol abuse .

Conclusions and Recommendations: In conclusion, this study revealed that the level of alcohol abuse were high. Therefore the study recommends that there is need to educate the population about the effects of alcohol consumption since most of the study respondents were not willing to stop alcohol intake and peer-to-peer prevention approach should occasionally be reinforced by public film and drama shows