The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of problem drinking among South African youth (18-24 years). A cross-sectional population-based household survey was conducted using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling approach. The total sample included 3123 participants (age range 18-24 years, 45.4% women) from four of nine provinces in South Africa. Results indicate that current alcohol was relatively more common among male (40.7%) than female youths (21.3%). Similarly, hazardous or harmful drinking was more prevalent among males (24.3%) than among women (12.9%). In multivariable analyses among men and women high on sexually permissiveness had hazardous or harmful alcohol use. Lifestyle including high peer pressure, and spending more nights away in a week were associated with hazardous or harmful alcohol use.
Human Sciences Research Council (Wed,) studied this question.