Browsing by Author "Barbra Akello"

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    Socio-demographic Factors Associated With Alcohol Abuse Among the Youths in Industrial Division, Mbale City
    (Uganda Christian University, 2025-10-11) Barbra Akello
    This study explored the socio demographic factors associated with alcohol abuse among youths in Industrial Division, Mbale City, against a backdrop of rapid urbanization, economic hardship, and entrenched cultural norms. Despite national regulations aimed at limiting underage drinking, local reports indicated that alcohol was readily available and widely consumed by young people within peer groups and at community events. By examining the interplay of peer pressure, cultural acceptance, income dynamics, and employment status, the research aimed to identify the key drivers of youth alcohol use in order to inform context sensitive intervention strategies.A cross-sectional survey design was employed, gathering data from 102 randomly selected youths through a structured questionnaire that captured their perceptions of peer drinking behaviors, cultural attitudes toward alcohol, personal income and spending patterns, and employment status. These quantitative findings were enriched by qualitative interviews with the Community Development Officer and local LC1 Chairpersons, whose insights provided depth to the statistical trends. Descriptive statistics summarized the prevalence and patterns of use, while thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed community narratives around hospitality rituals, the role of elders, financial coping mechanisms, and workplace cultures that tolerated or even encouraged drinking. The findings demonstrated that alcohol abuse among youths was firmly rooted in social and economic contexts: peer influence and group norms drove initiation and frequency of use; cultural ceremonies and silence from community leaders legitimized consumption; availability of disposable income modulated drinking levels, with spikes following earnings and reductions during financial strain; and both unemployment and permissive workplace environments contributed to elevated use. The study concluded that multi pronged interventions encompassing peer led education, culturally informed dialogues, financial literacy and economic empowerment programs, and workplace policy reforms were essential to address the complex web of factors sustaining youth alcohol abuse. Future research was recommended to assess the long-term impacts of these integrated approaches and to track the social, educational, and health outcomes of affected youths over time.