The link between drug use and HIV/AIDS among young people in ...

When reviewing respondents’ perception as to risky sexual activity, 84.8% were of the opinion that
multiple sex partnering was very harmful whilst only 79.4% indicated that unprotected sexual activity
was very harmful. Further, 87.5% of the respondents indicated that sex under the influence of drugs
was very harmful and an even higher percentage (89.7%) was of the view that unprotected sex under
the influence of drugs was very harmful.
Table 3: Degree of harmfulness as perceived by focus group participants (%)
Not
harmful
Slightly
harmful
Very
harmful
Do not
know Total
Frequently drinking alcohol 5 17 40 7 69
Smoking/using marijuana 6 11 46 4 64
Taking/using cocaine/crack cocaine 3 6 54 4 67
Combining illegal and legal drugs 3 8 50 7 68
Having multiple sex partners 3 4 56 3 66
Having sex under the influence of drugs 1 4 56 3 64
Having unprotected sex 1 10 54 3 68
Having unprotected sex under the
influence of drugs 2 1 61 4 68
Figure 2 shows that quite a large percentage of participants had consumed drugs in their lifetime and
at least 35% had consumed an illegal drug in their lifetime. Approximately 75% of respondents have
consumed alcohol in their lifetime, and almost 50% have consumed alcohol in the last 12-month
period. An astounding 26.8% of respondents have consumed alcohol and engaged in unprotected sex,
with 11.5% smoking marijuana and engaging in unprotected sexual activity. No participant of all focus
group discussions reported personal usage of cocaine and/or crack cocaine.
Figure 2:
Lifetime and last 12-month drug usage of participants and the engaging of
unprotected sex under the influence of drugs in percentages.
80.0
74.6
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
38.6
35.3
Lifetime Prevalence
47.5
22.4
24.2
26.8
10.6
11.5
3.0 3.1 3.0
1.5
12-month
Prevalence
Unprotected Sex
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Marijuana
Hashish
Solvents
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