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

young persons, and a desire to live and enjoy life to the fullest during youthful years plays itself out
into risky behavior through the practice of multiple sex partners. Youth also tend to engage in present
gratification rather than future gain. They have little prospects for the future, possibly due to lack of
adequate guidance by parental figures and poor adult role models. That coupled with their ignorance
and immaturity spell trouble for the general society in terms of the socio-economic implications of
such behaviors.
The aforementioned sexual promiscuity of young persons combined with their perceived benefits of
alcohol and marijuana consumption, and the poor correlation between knowledge and behavioral
modification all create an environment conducive to young persons contracting the epidemic
HIV/AIDS.
Prevention Strategies
It appears that most out of school youth and in school early teenage males are not aware of current
prevention strategies. Therefore programmes seem not to adequately target or reach these groups.
It further appears that young persons may be disinterested and/or unaffected by adult educators and
adult victims of risky behavior, which may result in the interpretation and perception that drug abuse
and HIV/AIDS are “adult diseases”; not something that is or can affect young persons.
Similarly, community workers and educators whose characters are not exemplary (that is, known by
attendees and students to be engaging in drug use and deviant behavior) may not create the desired
impact in the attempt to provide information, advice and encouragement towards positive behavior
among the youth. It should be stressed that such information providers should consider the link that
appears to be necessary in terms of provision of information and lifestyle presentation, given the social
implications of these issues.
It must be noted that parents should be the key in avoidance strategies. Some major focus must be
made on addressing the role of parents in providing facilitating conditions for youth involvement in
drug use and sex. Parents need to accept their role and responsibility towards youth development and
therefore measures must be put in place to develop citizens that are responsible and capable of sound
decision making skills.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The focus groups and key informant interviews revealed that people generally have information as to
alcohol, drugs, risky sexual behavior, and HIV/AIDS but lack the incentives to focus on turning the
acquired knowledge and information into positive decision-making and healthy life-styles to reduce
their involvement in risky lifestyles or behavioral patterns. The following recommendations are made
based on these findings:
1. There is need for massive national level media awareness programmes – billboards, television,
radio, posters, brochures, pamphlets, newspaper articles, youth rallies and marches, motorcades
– focusing on the effects and impact of risky sexual behavior targeting youth and all vulnerable
groups in society.
2. The ideas and suggestions of young people on how to implement prevention programmes need
to be taken into consideration when planning such activities.
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