RESEARCH ARTICLE


Sexual Risk-taking Behaviours amongst Rural Adolescent Boys in a Province in South Africa: A Qualitative Study



Miriam Mogotsi1, Saraswathie Govender2, Kathryn Nel3, *, Indiran Govender1
1 Department of Family Medicine and Primary Healthcare, Sefako Makgatho Health Science University (SMU), Gauteng, South Africa
2 Department of Psychology, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa
3 Department of Research Administration and Development, University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa


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Creative Commons License
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Bentham Open.

open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Research Administration and Development, University of Limpopo, South Africa; E-mails: Kathryn.Nel@ul.ac.za or Kathynel53@gmail.com


Abstract

Background

Risky sexual behaviours amongst adolescents contribute to public health problems globally and can be linked to cultural norms and lifestyles. This study aimed to explore the influences that are related to sexual risk behaviours amongst adolescent boys in a rural setting in South Africa.

Methods

The research was guided by Bandura’s social learning theory. The research used a qualitative approach with an exploratory phenomenological research design. Purposive sampling was used; 30 adolescent boys aged 13 to 18 years were recruited from 5 high schools in a province in South Africa. Focus groups were created, and data were analysed using thematic analysis (TA).

Results

Five themes emerged naturally out of the data, namely: 1) Lack of parental communication about sex; 2) Alcohol use; 3) Media influence; 4) Pregnancy and manhood; and 5) Government grants.

Conclusion

Findings revealed that the sample of male adolescents was involved in high-risk sex behaviours that were influenced by their sexual desires, consumption of alcohol, desire to prove their manhood, and receiving money from government grants. It was recommended that the Department of Education (DOE) in South Africa should implement and update sex education programmes at both primary and secondary schools.

Keywords: Adolescents, Alcohol, Communication, Fertility, Peers, Sexual-risk taking.