Risky drinking and sexual risk behaviours among young adults in Ghana: evidence from the La-Nkwantanang Madina municipality

Abstract

Young adults tend to indulge in risky behaviours. The study utilizes a 10-item AUDIT scale questions and a structured questionnaire on sexual behaviours among school-going young adults to investigate the effect of risky drinking on risky sexual behaviours in the La-Nkwantanang Madina Municipality. A multi-stage sampling technique was utilized. First cluster sampling was used to select 4 schools, consisting of 3 JHS and 1 SHS. Convenience sampling method was used to select university students in the area who were on vacation. The study found that risky drinking was associated with sexual risk behaviours (AOR: 4.23; 95% CI: 2.03–8.83) hence a major predictor of risky sexual behaviours among young adults in the study area. The study found that males were more likely to engage in risky drinking while females were more likely to engage in sexual risk behaviours. The study recommends that alcohol sensitization programmes and sex education be vigorously pursued.