Abstract:
Background: Alcohol drinking is gaining prominence among young people in Tanzania. However, one wonders whether these young people are knowledgeable of the effects of alcohol drinking on their sexual behaviour. Little is known on alcohol drinking pattern and the level of knowledge of secondary school students on effects of alcohol use on their sexual behaviour. Objectives: This study aimed to find out the alcohol drinking pattern and knowledge of its effects on sexual behaviour among secondary school students in Kinondoni Municipality and the objectives of the study were: (1). To determine the alcohol drinking patterns among students (2).To determine the pattern of sexual behaviour among students (3). To determine the level of knowledge on the effects of alcohol drinking on sexual behaviour among students and (4) To establish the relationship between level of knowledge on the effects of alcohol drinking and risky sexual behaviours among students. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out on a sample of 315 students. Selection of the sample was by random sampling of students from Forms one to three in eight (8) registered secondary schools in Kinondoni Municipality. The schools were selected by random sampling from a list of registered government and private secondary schools in the Department of Secondary Education. The data was collected using self-administered structured questionnaires.
Results: A total of 315 secondary school students participated in this study. Furthermore, 150 (47.6%) students were girls, and boys were 165 (52.4%). The majority 26 (39.4%) indicated that they had their first drink of alcohol at the age between 10 – 11 years, of whom boys were 18 (69.2%) as compared to girls who were 8 (12.1%). Findings show that 237 (75.2%) of respondents had high knowledge on the effects of alcohol drinking on sexual behaviour as compared to and 78 (24.8%) who had low knowledge. In terms of patterns of sexual behavior, 37 (11.7%) of respondents admitted that they had engaged in sexual intercourse whereby 31 (18.8%) were boys, and 7 (4.0) were girls and as compared to 88.3% who had not engaged in sexual intercourse. In terms of the relationship between level of knowledge on effects of alcohol drinking on sexual behaviour and socio-demograpic variables, findings show that slightly more than half of the respondents, 119 ( 51%), who were aged between 15 – 16 years had high knowledge. The findings also highlight that the majority of Form 3 students 99 (41.8%) had high knowledge. There was statistical evidence to
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conclude that the level of knowledge on the effects of alcohol drinking on sexual behaviour is related to the class/grade level of the students (p = 0.018 ). Moreover, there was statistical evidence to conclude that the level of knowledge on the effects of alcohol drinking on sexual behaviour is related to whether the students stayed with both parents, one parent or guardians.( p = 0.042) Conclusions: The study revealed that the level of knowledge on effects of alcohol drinking on sexual behaviour increased with advancing classes in secondary education. Recommendations: Young people should be provided with alcohol prevention information, education and communication interventions. The interventions are critical in enabling them not to become engaged in underage alcohol drinking. Emphasis should be placed both in knowledge acquisition and behavior change.
