Prevalence and Factors Associated with Adolescent Sexual Risk and Substance abuse Behaviors in Chom Phra District, Surin Province

Abstract

Sexual risk behavior and substance abuse in adolescents are increasingly likely. But there is also a lack of useful empirical evidence base to analyze the scale of the problem and factors that contribute to the occurrence of risky behavioral practices of adolescents. A cross-sectional analytical research aimed to estimate prevalence and study factors associated with risky behavior in sexual behavior and the substance abuse side of adolescents. The samples were 530 teenagers’ aged 12 to 19 years, studying in junior high school and high school students. All of them attended schools in Chom Phra District, Surin Province, and academic year 2020. Data was collected by self-administrative questionnaires. Base line characteristics of samples were analyzed by using descriptive statistic. Risk factors were analyzed by multiple logistic regression and reported as adjust Odds ratio (OR_adj) with 95 % confident interval (95%CI).

       The results showed that 62.83 % of the sample were female, 59.43 % were studying in junior high school, 10.75 % smoked, 15.28% drank alcohol, 5.66% experienced other substance abuse. The prevalence of all kinds of substance abuse, 20.19% (95%CI; 16.85-23.68), and there was a prevalence of sexual behavior by 6.42% (95%CI; 4.48-8.84). An analysis of factors associated with adolescent risk behavior found that samples studying in high school (OR_adj =3.49; 95%CI: 1.51-8.05), viewing media or clips that cause sexual emotions is greater than or equal to 1 time per week (OR_adj =8.31; 95%CI: 3.64-18.96) and alcohol habits (OR_adj =4.40; 95%CI: 1.95-9.94) were statistically significantly correlated with adolescent sexual risk behavior (P-value < 0.05). And male samples (OR_adj =2.78; 95%CI: 1.72-4.50) were 16 years of age or older (OR_adj = 2.10; 95%CI: 1.29-3.41), had father or mother drinking alcohol. (OR_adj = 2.46; 95%CI: 1.35-4.47) having parents drink alcohol (OR_adj = 2.87; 95%CI: 1.53-5.39) and sexually risky behavior (OR_adj =7.70; 95%CI: 3.36 - 17.65) were statistically significantly associated with adolescent substance abuse risk behavior (P-value < 0.05).

            Therefore, it is necessary to promote, support access to appropriate social media in adolescents. Creating creative family activities is a role model. To deter and reduce the practice of risky behaviors in different aspects of adolescence.