Health-risk behaviours among university students in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

University students frequently engage in health-risk behaviours that may affect academic engagement, wellbeing, and campus experiences. Quantitative studies dominate the literature, leaving limited qualitative insight into how students in specific African university settings understand these behaviours and the contexts in which they occur.

A single-site descriptive qualitative case study was conducted at a university in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Fifteen students aged 19-25 years participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Five institutional documents provided supplementary contextual information. Data were analysed thematically using QDA Miner Lite and interpreted through a socio-ecological lens.

Students described six interconnected health-risk behaviours: substance use, smoking and waterpipe use, risky sexual behaviours, physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary behaviours cancel practices, and inadequate and irregular sleep. These behaviours were understood as shaped by interacting peer, academic, financial, psychological, and institutional influences rather than as isolated individual choices. Some accounts reflected personal experiences, while others concerned behaviours observed among peers. Perceived consequences include difficulties with concentration and attendance, emotional wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and social relationships. Participants advocated accessible counselling, peer education, health information, healthier coping strategies, and student-informed institutional support.

Health-risk behaviours among these students were embedded in interconnected personal, social, economic, academic, and institutional contexts. The findings highlight the importance of multi-level, student-informed approaches to university health promotion that address both individual coping and the broader conditions shaping health behaviours. Further multi-site qualitative and mixed-methods research is needed across diverse Zimbabwean and Southern African university settings.