[Explaining risky and unprotected sexual behaviors among young people and related reasons: a qualitative study]

Background and Aim: Risky and unprotected sexual behaviors are among the health threatening factors which can increase the risk of transmission of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis especially in young people. This qualitative study aimed to explore the reasons of unprotected sexual behaviors among young people, based on low self-control characteristics

Materials and Methods: The study was designed as a qualitative content analysis. Eleven individuals who had unprotected sexual contact were selected by purposeful sampling method. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews and analyzed concurrently

Results: According to the results of this study impellent belief about risky sexual behavior, barriers to condom use and lack of knowledge were cited by the participants as the main reasons beyond the risky and unprotected sexual behaviors

Conclusion: Adoption of the safe and protected sexual behaviors is dependent on reinforcement of the beliefs, perceptions and attitudes towards sexually transmitted disease [STD] and effectiveness of preventive behaviors

Modeling the underlying predicting factors of tobacco smoking among adolescents

With regard to the willing and starting tobacco smoking among young people in Iran. The aim of the study was to model the underlying factors in predicting the behavior of tobacco smoking among employed youth and students in Iran. In this analytical cross-sectional study, based on a random cluster sampling were recruited 850 high school students, employed and unemployed youth age ranged between 14 and 19 yr from Iran. The data of demographic and tobacco smoking related variables were acquired via a self-administered questionnaire. A series of univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed respectively for computing un-adjusted and adjusted Odds Ratios utilizing SPSS 17 software. A number of 189 persons [25.6%] were smoker in the study and the mean smoking initiation age was 13.93 [SD= 2.21]. In addition, smoker friend, peer persistence, leaving home, and smoking in one and six month ago were obtained as independent predictors of tobacco smoking. The education programs on resistance skills against the persistence of the peers, improvement in health programs by governmental interference and policy should be implemented

Pattern and inclination of adolescents towards substance abuse

Narcotic drug abuse and illicit use of drugs is a major, complicated multifactorial phenomenon affecting most of the societies today. Incidence of drug abuse among adolescents is very high. Adolescents become addicted to substances more quickly than adults. The aim of this study was to assess the pattern of drug abuse among male adolescents in Hamadan. This study was a descriptive study and samples [n=400] were collected on the basis of snowball sampling method. Information was collected individually through completion of a researcher-designed questionnaire including demographic and epidemiological indices, perceived familial support, religiosity, and locus of control. The results showed that smoking [93%], alcohol [92.5%], marijuana [64.3%], and opium [57.8%] use were very high, while LSD [4.8%] and Cocaine [2.3%] use was rare. 77.8% of adolescents began drug abuse between 12 and 18 years of age. Moreover, sensation seeking [26.5%], individual interest [24.8%], and peer pressure [22%], were the main reasons for drug abuse. As initial smoking, alcohol and marijuana use play an important role in determining the future addiction of adolescents to narcotics, yearly surveillance programs in the country and evaluation of etiological factors of narcotic addiction need to be studied carefully. All of the preventive and school programs designed for the young should take into account environmental, demographic and policy factors in addition to personal factors so that the programs have a maximum effect

Behavioral intention to avoid drug abuse works as protective factor among adolescent

Young people engage in risky behaviors unintentionally and these behaviors might be reduced or inhibited by preventative behaviors. Although adolescents' risky behaviors are known as unplanned or unintentional, preventative behaviors are intentional. The aim of the present study was to assess students' behavior intentions to avoid drug abuse. This study was a cross sectional design that male high school students [n= 176] in Tehran, Iran completed a questionnaire assessing behavior intentions to avoid drug abuse, self-control, selfefficacy, perceived susceptibility, and negative attitudes toward drug abuse, peer resistance skills and substance abuse related behaviors. Peer resistance skills, negative attitude toward drugs, perceived self- efficacy, and high selfcontrol were four predictors on intention against drug abuse. Moreover, students' educational status, interested in school and truancy and spending with friends were other predictors for intention against drug abuse. Healthy behaviors are intentional. As a result improving behavior intentions to avoid drug abuse would act as a protective factor for preventing drug abuse among adolescents as well as preventing high-risk behaviors

[Assessment of substance abuse behaviors in adolescents: integration of self-control into extended parallel process model]

An effective preventive health education program on drug abuse can be delivered by applyingbehavior change theories in a complementary fashion. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of integrating self-control into Extended ParallelProcess Model in drug substance abuse behaviors. A sample of 189 governmental high school studentsparticipated in this survey. Information was collected individually by completing researcher designedquestionnaire and a urinary rapid immuno-chromatography test for opium and marijuana.The results of the study show that 6.9% of students used drugs [especially opium and marijuana] andalso peer pressure was determinant factor for using drugs. Moreover the EPPM theoretical variables of perceivedseverity and perceived self-efficacy with self-control are predictive factors to behavior intention againstsubstance abuse. In this manner, self-control had a significant effect on protective motivation and perceivedefficacy. Low self- control was a predictive factor of drug abuse and low self-control students had drug abuseexperience.The results of this study suggest that an integration of self-control into EPPM can be effective inexpressing and designing primary preventive programs against drug abuse, and assessing abused behavior anddeviance behaviors among adolescent population, especially risk seekers