• Solomon Abrha
• R.D.Sampath Kumar

ABSTRACT Background: Young people have been faced with a variety of social problems during age of adolescence. One of these is engagement to risky sexual behavior which primarily intimidates their life. Previous studies on risky sexual behaviors identified various factors contributing to risky sexual behavior. This study focuses on the influence of substance use, as predictor of risky sexual behavior among university students in Ethiopia. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study among university students located in Amhara regional states of Ethiopia was conducted. Seven hundred ninety students were selected using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Data was collected using self-administered schedules. Result: Independent samples t-test was conducted to examine gender differences on substance use among university students in the study areas. According to the finding of the study gender differences was primarily observed with respect to substance use. Males were more substance users than their female counter parts. The finding of the study revealed that there was a significant linear relationship between substance use (β = 0.825, t = 40.5, P< 0.01), and risky sexual behavior. In the study, substance use has found out to be an important predictor of risky sexual behavior. Conclusion: Substance use among the university students was important predictors of risky sexual behavior in the university compounds.

KEYWORDS: Substance use; risky sexual behavior; youths; university students, Amhara; Ethiopia

"Does Substance use act as a variable of importance for predicting risky sexual behaviour of university students? Results from Ethiopian university students ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 1, page no.279-290, January-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1901537.pdf

"Does Substance use act as a variable of importance for predicting risky sexual behaviour of university students? Results from Ethiopian university students ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 1, page no. pp279-290, January-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1901537.pdf