An Exploration of Factors Influencing Substance Use Among Older Adolescents in Mdantsane Township, South Africa

There is a growing burden of substance use among older adolescents and young people in South Africa, which has adverse social, mental and physical well-being. The study aimed to explore the factors influencing substance use among older adolescents in Mdantsane township, South Africa. A qualitative approach with a descriptive design was used. Purposive sampling and snowballing were done to select older adolescents who used substances. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically using Tesch’s eight steps of thematic analysis. The sample of older adolescents consisted of 19 participants, and most (84.2%) were male. The study found that protective factors were parental disapproval and health education. Factors that influenced substance use were adolescent free time, extended family who used substances, socio-cultural aspects and peer pressure. From this study, it is concluded that health education and context-specific interventions can prevent substance use among older adolescents in Mdantsane. Future studies may include parents of substance using older adolescents.