| dc.description.abstract | Introduction: According to WHO an estimated 2 billion people that is 33% consume alcohol of which 76.3 million have been diagnose with alcoholic use disorders (WHO, 2004). Alcohol is the most widely abused substance globally with no proper laws in place regulating its use and this makes its use legal in most countries of the world (Basangwa et al).
Objectives: The main objective of the study was to investigate the determinants of persistent alcohol use among the youths in Koro sub-county, Gulu district and the specific objectives were; to determine the individual determinants, to identify the socio-economic determinants and to establish the cultural determinants of persistent use of alcohol among the youths in Koro sub- county Gulu district.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done by the researcher using both quantitative and qualitative method. The investigation was done among all youths who are residence of Koro sub-county. The data was collected using questionnaires to collect quantitative data from 272 youths of Koro sub-county. Qualitative data was also collected using a Focus Group Discussion guide by conducting 6 FGDs of community leaders of Koro sub-county. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft office excels and presented the findings in pie charts and tables. The qualitative data was manually analyzed and presented in quotations and verbatim.
The research objectives were address through interpretation of quantitative and qualitative data according to the research objectives.
The result: The finding from the study indicates that the major determinants of persistent alcohol use among the youths in Koro sub-county specifically includes the following variables; age (P- value =0.00), sex (P-value=0.00), residence (P-value=0.00), family history of alcohol use(P- value=0.00) and the duration of alcohol use (P-value=0.00), education level(P-value=0.00), employment status(P-value=0.00), income level(P-value=0.00), norms and values (P-value=0.00), and bylaws(P-value=0.002) which showed statistically significant association with persistent alcohol use.
The following variables showed no statistical significant association with persistent alcohol use in this study; traditional rituals (P-value=0.423), traditional beliefs (P-value=0.571) and peer pressure (P-value=0.249).
Conclusion: Persistent alcohol use among the youths in Koro sub-county was significantly determined by age, sex, residence, family history of alcohol, the duration of alcohol use, education level, employment status, income level, norms and values, traditional rituals, traditional beliefs and bylaws with peer pressure as the only variable which is not a determinant in this study. | en_US |
