Abstract:
The study was on Students' healthy security in urban universities in Uganda. It was conducted in urban public and private universities in Uganda. Students, of 21st century, were the unit of analysis. Informants were studied for some good period of time. Occurrences - culture, characteristics and health behaviors were noted. The study was of Qualitative in nature and used a Positivism philosophy backed with Health Belief Model (HBM) by Rosen stock, supported by the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) which was proposed in 1975 by Martin Fishbein. Students perform a health behavior having reasoned about the positive and negative consequences. Terms like Susceptibility, Perceived benefits, Perceived barriers, Self-efficacy and Clue to barriers were borrowed from HBM. Preventive, Illness and Sick-role behaviors that were pathways to the substance use behavior were borrowed from HBM. These pathways were used in studying related literature, designing research instruments, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting it. The study found out that: Students, of 21st century, have created their own health ways and health cultures. When in groups, in their privacy, students do all sorts of manner not minding the negative health consequences. Students are perceiving STDs are part of normal life. Most of them practice self-medication. HIV is being transmitted at a very high rate among university students. The ideology of "live-sex" has greatly increased the risk of STDs/STIs and HIV among students. Peers are the pathways of educating, guiding and controlling students' health security. The study recommended that: There should be enough programs of STDs/STIs and HIV awareness (Expected barriers) in all urban universities. The government should identify, empower and equip peers (students of 21st century) among urban universities. Health service providers should target communities (ghettoes) around the university premises, where students are, always. HIV awareness, testing, prevention and treatment in urban universities should be put in more effort by both private and government institutions. Students of 21st century, as they identify themselves, should develop a habit of health seeking behavior especially for medical checkup or where never they suspect any sort of health disorder.
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