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The aim of the present study was to examine factors identified by young people as contributing to drinking, and, in particular, their relationship with sexually risky behavior, among young people in Western Cape, South Africa.<\/p>\n
The prevalence of male alcohol consumption is over twice as high as that of female consumption, and the underage drinking rate in South Africa is not only disturbing, but also suggests alcohol craving starts early in life.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show Source Texts<\/span><\/p>\n Harmful patterns of alcohol consumption, such as underage drinking, heavy alcohol use, or binge alcohol use, are very common among certain demographic groups, and COVIDa19 lockdowns are exacerbating these trends.<\/p>\n Drinking is associated with the risk of developing health problems, mental and behavioral disorders, alcohol addiction, serious non-communicable diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, certain types of cancer, and cardiovascular diseases, and injuries from violence and collisions on roads.<\/p>\n The context in which drinking occurs plays a significant role in causing alcohol-related harms, especially related to health effects from intoxication and, infrequent cases, the quality of the alcohol consumed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show Source Texts<\/span><\/p>\n Alarmingly, most South African alcohol consumers are also classified as heavy, or binge, drinkers, with 59% of the population having consumed over 60 grams or more of pure alcohol at least once in 30 days.<\/p>\n The findings echo with other South African data reporting heavy drinking.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show Source Texts<\/span><\/p>\n The total per capita total consumption by adults of liters of pure alcohol was obtained from the World Health Organizations Global Information System on Alcohol and Health.<\/p>\n 38 In total, South Africa consumed 10.39 liters of pure alcohol per capita in 2012. According to the WHO data, the population consumed 28.9 L per year – per capita – of pure alcohol, which is the fifth highest rate of consumption worldwide, lower than Namibia (31.3 L), Eswatini (32.7 L), the Cook Islands (32.9 L) and Tunisia (33.4 L).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show Source Texts<\/span><\/p>\n Even after definitions, Trungenstein and colleagues found that 53% of respondents from Tshwane Metropolitan Province, who reported some consumption, qualified as heavy drinkers.<\/p>\n This result is higher than earlier estimates of heavy alcohol use in South Africa. Data emerging from research into alcohol consumption and sexual behavior of at-risk alcohol consumers and bars\/shebeen patrons in the Gauteng Province, South Africa, reported higher levels of alcohol consumption by the participants .\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show Source Texts<\/span><\/p>\n In the past few years, there has been a rise in the risky drinking of alcohol drinks containing a higher alcohol in South Africa (Bhana, 2015 ; Parry et al., 2005 ; Peltzer & Ramlagan, 2009 ).<\/p>\n Recently, it has been suggested that although only 30% of South Africans consume alcohol, a rise in consumption is expected among younger adults given increasing youth access to alcoholic beverages, increasing affordability, and active marketing targeting this demographic.<\/p>\n There is also the risk of COVIDa19 driving increases in problem alcohol use over the medium-term, given that heavy drinking is commonly experienced following traumatic events in a reaction to elevated stress levels.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Show Source Texts<\/span><\/p>\n Tarvens are not safe anymore, but we'll make a plan.#nhlanhla_lux<\/a> Bongani pic.twitter.com\/o9ed9ig7bL<\/a><\/p>\n — Tshepiso Motour Maunatlala (@Motour_01) July 11, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n
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