I am not "umqwayito'': a qualitative study of peer pressure and sexual risk behaviour among young adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa.
BACKGROUND
Young people in South Africa are susceptible to HIV infection. They are vulnerable to peer pressure to have sex, but little is known about how peer pressure operates.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to understand how negative peer pressure increases high risk sexual behaviour among young adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa.


METHODS
Qualitative research methods were used. Eight focus groups were conducted with young people between the ages of 13 and 14 years.


RESULTS
Peer pressure among both boys and girls undermines healthy social norms and HIV prevention messages to abstain, be faithful, use a condom and delay sexual debut.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV prevention projects need to engage with peer pressure with the aim of changing harmful social norms into healthy norms. Increased communication with adults about sex is one way to decrease the impact of negative peer pressure. Peer education is a further mechanism by which trained peers can role model healthy social norms and challenge a peer culture that promotes high risk sexual behaviour. Successful HIV prevention interventions need to engage with the disconnect between educational messages and social messages and to exploit the gaps between awareness, decision making, norms, intentions and actions as spaces for positive interventions.
Selikow
Terry-Ann
TA
Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. Terry-Ann.Selikow@wits.ac.za
Ahmed
Nazeema
N
Flisher
Alan J
AJ
Mathews
Catherine
C
Mukoma
Wanjiru
W
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D017280:Condoms; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012736:Sex Education; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology