Windsor Area New Directions Project
Windsor Area New Directions Project LIFE SKILLS SURVEY
Year Twelve Evaluation Report: 2009 - 20010
5 September 2010
Prepared by: Jane Korey 1226 New Boston Road Norwich, VT [email protected]
This is the twelfth year that eighth-grade students in Weathersfield, Hartland and Windsor have participated in the Life Skills curriculum as part of the Windsor Area Community Partnership's initiative to reduce adolescent substance use. Prevention progress is tracked annually using a specially designed survey completed by eighth graders in late May or early June. At the same time a shorter survey, including only the four core measures required by the funding Drug Free Communities Support Program, is completed by 6th and 7th graders in Hartland, Weathersfield, Windsor and Brownsville (West Windsor). The surveys are included here as Appendices 6 (8th grade) and 7 (6th-7th grade). This report focuses on the eighth-grade survey data, for which we have deep chronological comparisons, adding the 6th and 7th grade data where available, for context. Keep in mind that small changes in one direction or the other are more likely to be statistical "noise" than to indicate real underlying change. With small populations like these, the behavior of a single student can cause a swing of several percentage points in the rate. Changes that are statistically significant are indicated as such. Frequency reports tabulating full responses to all survey items for each grade in each school accompany this report.
HIGHLIGHTS • Alcohol use declined as the entire constellation of alcohol indicators moved in the desired direction. Past-month drinking among 8th graders fell from 29% in 2009 to 21% this year; bingeing fell from 7% to 3%. The number of 8th graders who believe that regular drinking is risky rose significantly, from 49% last year to 68% in 2010. 87% of 8th graders say their parents think it is wrong for them to drink, up from 80% last year. The number of students who themselves believe it is wrong for someone of their age to drink also rose, from 66% last year to 83% in 2010. The number of students who rode with drivers who had been drinking fell significantly, from 37% in 2009 to 17% this year. • Cigarette smoking stands at it’s lowest rate ever for WACP 8th graders. Only one 8th grader reported smoking in the past 30 days, bringing the smoking rate to 1%. Other indicators about smoking, which have been strong for a number of years, stayed strong: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapproved of smoking; 94% disapproved of smoking themselves and 90% said it was risky. • Students delayed experimenting with marijuana. The average age of trying marijuana for the first time rose a full year, from 12 to 13 years. Marijuana use declined from 7% last year to 5% this year. As with tobacco, the other indicators remained strong: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapprove of marijuana use; 93% themselves disapprove and 86% believe smoking pot is risky. • Teens say all substances are harder to get. More students than ever before— 83%—said it was difficult for them to get cigarettes. The number who said that alcohol is hard to get also rose significantly, from 29% last year to 51% this year. All students—100%—said that it was hard to get "other drugs."
1
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS The Sample. This year 72 WACP 8th graders—83% of the district's 8th grade students—completed the four-page, 29-item Windsor Area Community Partnership Student Survey. This number includes 79% of Hartland 8th graders, 83% of Windsor 8th graders and 92% of Weathersfield 8th graders. 44% of 8th grade survey takers were female; 56% were male. To simplify survey-taking, students were not asked about their ethnicity or age.1 Table 1 tracks 8th grade survey participation over the life of the survey. 74 sixth graders (89% of all 6th graders) and 77 seventh graders (79% of all 7th graders) completed the abbreviated, 14-item survey that covers the four core areas: substance use, parental disapproval, age of initiation and risk of harm. This year 46% of 6th graders completing the survey were females and 54% males. For the 7th grade the gender proportions were 48% female and 52% male. Table 2 shows 6th and 7th grade survey participation for the four years that students from these grades have been required to supply data on the core measures. Life Skills instructors are to be commended for this year's high participation rate. Given the usual number of daily absentees, the fact that 83% of the enrolled middle school population completed the survey suggests that we can have great confidence in the results. th
Table 1. Number of 8 graders completing the WACP Student Survey YEAR
HARTLAND
1999
WEATHERSFIELD 17
WINDSOR
TOTAL
30
47
2000
57
32
60
149
2001
46
25
66
137
2002
50
34
40
124
2003
39
22
57
118
2004
49
38
34
121
2005
46
35
42
123
2006
36
22
41
99
2007
43
28
37
108
2008
34
30
45
109
2009
49
13
32
94
2010
27
12
33
72
1
There is too little ethnic or age variation among WACP 8th graders to make these characteristics statistically useful. 2
th
Table 2. Number of 6 and 7th graders completing the abbreviated WACP Student Survey YEAR
2007
2008
2009
2010
GRADE
HARTLAND
WINDSOR
44
WEATHERSFIELD 17
6 7
36
32
43
6
30
12
33
7
47
16
36
6
10
25
7
8
37
17
6
32
14
22
7
35
20
22
BROWNSVILLE 11
TOTAL 89 111
11
86 99
8
43 45
6
74 77
THE CORE MEASURES PAST 30-DAY USE (Questions 8 & 9): 8th grade substance use declines. Substance use among WACP 8th graders fell in almost all categories of use. Most notable is the drop in the past-month smoking rate to 1%, the lowest rate ever achieved among WACP 8th graders (this represents the behavior of a single student). The decline in alcohol use is also important, where both the past-month drinking rate and the rate of binge drinking fell. In previous years at least a quarter and sometimes as many as half of all 8th graders who drank in the past 30 days also said they drank five drinks in a row. This year only 14% of 8th grade drinkers engaged in this much more dangerous practice. The increase in use of "other drugs" from 0% last year to 1% this year (again representing the behavior of a single student) is the only exception to an otherwise consistent reduction in the use of risky substances. Figure 1 shows that 8th grade use rates for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana has declined over the past 12 years (1999 – 2010), despite the year-to-year variations we expect in a small population. Table 3 presents in tabular form the substance use rates for all substances surveyed for the same years.
3
FIGURE 1.
Table 3. Past 30-day substance use by WACP 8th graders, by year, in percent. Percent who... Drank alcohol Binged Smoked cigarettes Used marijuana Huffed Used other drugs Used Rx or OTC drugs
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
34
33
32
27
18
36
20
12
16
28
29
21
9
15
10
14
8
11
5
1
9
12
7
3
17
13
18
8
6
12
6
4
6
12
6
1
11
13
19
15
7
11
8
1
4
6
7
5
6
15
2
2
4
7
7
4
3
3
2
0
4
3
0
1
2
1
4
4
1
0
3
2
3
4
Substance use by gender. The decline in drinking came mostly from a change in boys’ behavior; girls’ drinking remained essentially unchanged. Binge drinking fell among both boys and girls. Boys' use of cigarettes and marijuana also declined from 2009 to 2010. While not statistically significant, owing to small sample size, these changes are important. Girls' smoking and inhalant use also fell. Table 4 shows these results. Table 4. Change in past-30-day substance use from 2009 to 2010, for 8th graders, by gender, in percent. Percent who... 2009
GIRLS 2010
CHANGE
2009
BOYS 2010
CHANGE
Drank alcohol
27
28
+1
33
16
-17
Binged
9
3
-6
7
3
-4
Smoked cigarettes
9
3
-6
4
0
-4
Used marijuana
7
9
+2
9
5
-4
Huffed
11
3
-8
4
5
+1
Used other drugs
0
0
0
0
3
+3
Used Rx or OTC drugs
2
0
-2
0
0
0
Substance use by grade. Table 5 shows alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use rates for 6th, 7th and 8th graders over the past three years. The three-year average smoothes year-to-year variations and helps show how substance use increases as children grow older. The year-to-year variations, however, help us appreciate that different cohorts of students have different risk profiles. Looking at this year's 8th graders (who were 6th graders in 2008 and 7th graders in 2009) over time, we see that although they posted a relatively high drinking rate in 2008, the increase in their risky behavior has been small, with most of the rise in drinking occurring in the 7th grade. This year's 7th graders posted very low drinking rates, as they did as 6th graders in 2009. Students who were in 6th grade in 2010, however, appear (like present 8th graders) to be more active experimenters, with one in ten saying that had drunk alcohol the previous month.
Table 5. 2008-2010 past-30-day substance use rates for 6th, 7th and 8th graders, in percent. Percent who... Drank alcohol Smoked cigarettes Used marijuana
6
th
7
2008
2009
2010
13
2
1 0
th
8
2008
2009
2010
11
3 YR AVG 9
15
20
0
3
1
3
0
1
1
0
th
2008
2009
2010
8
3 YR AVG 14
28
29
21
3 YR AVG 26
0
1
1
12
6
1
6
4
1
2
6
7
5
6
5
AVERAGE AGE OF ONSET (Question 7): 8th graders delayed trying marijuana by a year. This year's 8th graders were a year older than last year's when they first tried marijuana. As Figure 2 shows, the age of onset for marijuana use, after hovering for many years around 12 years old, is 13 years of age for this class. (Marijuana use also declined this year.) The age of experimenting with alcohol remains unchanged, at about 12 years. After rising to 12 years old last year, the age of first trying cigarettes dropped back to 11 years, where it stood for all but last year. Recall, however, that only one 8th grader had actually smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days. FIGURE 2
Age of onset by gender. Table 6 breaks down the change in age of onset by gender, showing that this years’ boys tended to try substances at a younger age than girls, although their past-month use was lower than girls’ for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana.
6
Table 6. Change in the age of onset from 2009 to 2010 among 8th graders who had experimented, by gender, in percent. Average age of first us of... Alcohol Cigarettes Marijuana Inhalants
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
12.4 (N = 25) 12.5 (N = 13) 12.3 (N = 3) 12.4 (N = 8)
12.3 (N = 16) 11.7 (N = 6) 13.4 (N = 5) 13.0 (N = 2)
-0.1
11.7 (N = 32) 12.0 (N = 5) 12.1 (N = 9) 12.2 (N = 5)
11.6 (N = 20) 10.0 (N = 1) 12.0 (N = 1) 10.3 (N = 4)
-0.1
-0.8 +1.1 +.6
-2.0 -0.1 -1.9
Number who have experimented. Table 7 shows the actual number of students who have ever tried alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana or inhalants. The percentage of students who had tried any substances fell to 53%. In almost all cases, the substance they have tried is alcohol: of the 38 students who had ever tried any substance, 36 (95%) of them have tried alcohol. Table 7. Number of 8th graders who have ever tried substances, by year. 2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Smoked a cigarette (even a puff)
30
47
31
14
16
25
19
7
Had more than a sip or two of alcohol
63
81
72
43
50
62
59
36
Smoked marijuana
19
28
21
8
8
12
13
6
Sniffed something to get high
13
33
16
7
10
12
13
6
Total NUMBER of students in class
118
121
123
99
108
109
94
72
Total NUMBER of students who have tried any substance PERCENT of class who have tried a substance.
65
88
75
46
54
64
62
38
55%
73%
61%
46%
50%
59%
66%
53%
Number of students who have ever...
Age of onset by grade. Table 8 displays the average age of onset by grade for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana for the past three years. Because very few middle school students have smoked cigarettes or used marijuana, we cannot infer real change from annual variations in the age of onset for those substances. Data about initiating alcohol use among 8th graders, which involve a larger number of students, show that the increase in age of onset from 2008 (11.3 years) to the older initiation ages of 2009 and 2010 (12.0 and 11.9, respectively), is statistically significant. Sustaining the older age of onset for alcohol use for an additional year is an important outcome for the project.
7
Table 8. 2009-2010 age of onset for 6th, 7th and 8th graders, in percent. Average age of onset for use of... Alcohol (number using) Cigarettes (number using) Marijuana (number using)
th
th
th
2008
6 2009
2010
2008
7 2009
2010
2008
8 2009
2010
10.5 (36)
10.4 (11)
10.5 (21)
11.4 (48)
11.1 (21)
11.3 (30)
11.3 (62)
12.0 (59)
11.9 (36)
10.7 (6)
10.0 (1)
11.0 (2)
12.2 (13)
12.0 (2)
11.3 (3)
11.6 (25)
12.4 (19)
11.4 (7)
13.0 (2)
(0)
11.0 (1)
13.8 (6)
13.0 (1)
12.0 (1)
12.1 (12)
12.2 (13)
13.2 (6)
PERCEPTION OF RISK (Question 6): More students see alcohol use as risky. Since 2007 students' perception of the risk of harm in using substances has been measured by asking them to evaluate the risk of taking one or two drinks of alcohol nearly every day, of smoking a pack or more of cigarettes per day and of smoking marijuana “regularly” (an undefined rate).2 Note that the question asks students to evaluate risk to anyone, not just to youth. This year, for the first time, the number of 8th graders who believe that regular, non-binge drinking poses harm rose significantly, from 49% last year to 68% this year. This is highest level this indicator has reached since 2007. Recall that the percentage of 8th grade students who reported drinking in the past month also fell sharply this year, from 29% to 21%. There is a significant association between beliefs about risk and drinking: 44% of students who said there was "no/slight" risk in moderate regular drinking had drunk alcohol in the preceding month, compared to 11% of those who said the risk of such drinking was "moderate/great."3 The small changes in either direction in the risk of harm ascribed to smoking cigarettes and using marijuana are not significant. Figure 3 shows 8th graders' change in risk assessment over the past four years.
2
Before 2007 other rates of use were specified, making those data incommensurate with date from 2007 to the present. 3 p = .002, using Pearson's chi-square. 8
FIGURE 3
Perceived risk by gender. Table 9 shows that both boys and girls saw drinking as riskier than previous 8th graders. The change in boys' attitudes about alcohol is statistically significant. th
Table 9. Change in risk perceptions from 2009 to 2010, among 8 graders, by gender, in percent. Percent who said it was risky to...
2009
GIRLS 2010
CHANGE
2009
BOYS 2010
CHANGE
Take 1-2 drinks/day
55
68
+13
42
68
+26
Smoke 1+ packs cigarettes/day Use marijuana reg'ly
93
87
-6
93
93
0
86
87
+1
76
85
+9
Perceived risk by grade. Table 12 tracks risk perception across the grades for the past three years. Taking a three year average, which smoothes out the year-to-year changes within 9
each grade, we see that students see all substances as less risky as they grow older, but the difference is quite small for smoking, falling only 5% over three years, and much larger for both marijuana (13%) and alcohol (16%). The stability of attitudes about the risk of smoking suggest that students see smoking as a non-starter, while they remain more open to both alcohol and marijuana use in the future. th
th
th
Table 10. 2008-2010 perception of risk for 6 , 7 and 8 graders, in percent. Percent who said it was risky to... Take 1-2 drinks/day Smoke 1+ packs cigarettes/day Use marijuana reg'ly
6
th
7
2008
2009
2010
77
65
94 96
th
8
2008
2009
2010
74
3 YR AVG 72
61
71
91
96
94
94
93
97
95
90
th
2008
2009
2010
67
3 YR AVG 66
52
49
68
3 YR AVG 56
93
91
93
82
94
90
89
81
92
88
78
82
86
82
PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL (Question 4): Almost all students believe their parents disapprove of teen substance use. Almost all 8th graders believe—by large margins—that their parents disapprove of teen substance use. This year 97% said their parents believe it is "wrong/very wrong" for them to smoke cigarettes, use marijuana or other drugs. The number who say their parents disapprove of dinking rose from 80% to 87%, an increase that is important (although not statistically significant). Figure 4, below, which graphs both past 30-day student use and perceived parental attitudes, shows how important parental attitudes are to youth behavior. There is a strongly significant inverse correlation between perceived parental disapproval and actual substance use by 8th graders over the life of the survey. The relationship is easiest to see graphically regarding alcohol: when parental disapproval goes down, teen drinking goes up. This relationship suggests that changing parental attitudes is key to reducing substance use, especially drinking, among these students.
10
FIGURE 4
Perceived parental disapproval by gender. Boys and girls equally, and strongly, believe their parents disapprove of substance use. There is no statistical difference between the genders in their assessment of parental attitudes. There is also little difference in perceived parental attitudes by gender between 2009 and 2010, with the important exception of boys' perception of their parents' attitudes about alcohol. The increase of 19% from 2009 to 2010 in the number of boys who say their parents disapprove of drinking is significant. Table 11 shows these data.
11
th
Table 11. Change in 8 grade students’ perceptions of parents’ disapproval of substance use from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who said their parents feel it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to... Drink 1-2 times/month
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
89
84
-5
71
90
+19
Smoke cigarettes
98
97
-1
93
97
+4
Smoke marijuana
100
94
-6
91
100
+9
Use other illegal drugs
98
97
-1
100
97
-3
Perceived parental disapproval by grade. Table 12 tracks parental disapproval across the grades from 2008 through 2010, showing that almost all students in all grades believe their parents disapprove strongly of cigarette smoking and marijuana use. The three-year average, which reveals change by grade more clearly than more variable annual readings, shows that students believe parental attitudes about alcohol—but not about tobacco and marijuana—become more permissive with age. This year perceptions of parental disapproval of youth drinking strengthened, with more 6th and 8th graders saying their parents disapprove. It is interesting that the expectable decrease in perceptions of parental disapproval with increase in age did not occur for this year's 8th graders: they posted the same rate of parental disapproval last year, when they were 7th graders. th
th
th
Table 12. 2007-2009 perception of parental disapproval for 6 , 7 and 8 graders in percent. Percent who said their parents feel it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to... Drink 1-2 times/month Smoke cigarettes Smoke marijuana
6
th
7
th
8
th
2008
2009
2010
3 YR AVG
2008
2009
2010
3 YR AVG
2008
2009
2010
3 YR AVG
94
84
93
90
91
87
87
88
78
80
87
82
99
93
99
97
98
98
99
98
95
96
97
96
99
98
99
99
99
82
96
92
94
96
97
96
CONCLUSIONS: CORE MEASURES. There is only good news for WACP Life Skills prevention efforts this year. Use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana all declined; in the case of cigarettes, to a record low level. Other indicators either remained at already strong levels or moved in the desired direction. Alcohol. The most notable progress concerned youth drinking, where fewer 8th graders' reported drinking or bingeing in the past 30 days. Drinking fell from 29% last year to 21% this year; bingeing from 7% to 3%. The number who believe that regular drinking is risky rose significantly, from 49% last year to 68% in 2010. Students' perceptions of parental disapproval also moved in the desired direction, with 87% saying their parents think it is wrong for them to drink, up from 80% last year. Although the age of initiation did not change, remaining at 12
12
years, the fact that all other indicators moved together in the desired direction suggests that a real shift in attitudes about underage drinking may be underway. Cigarettes. Only one 8th grader reported smoking in the past 30 days, bringing the smoking rate to 1%, the lowest ever recorded by the project. Other indicators about smoking, which have been strong for a number of years, showed no significant change: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapproved of smoking; 90% said smoking was risky. These data reinforce the conclusion that tobacco prevention efforts at the coalition, state and national level are having an impact on youth behavior. Marijuana. Marijuana use also declined, from 7% last year to 5% this year. At the same time, students delayed experimenting with marijuana, with the age of initiation rising a full year, from 12.0 to 13.0 years. As with tobacco, the other indicators, which were already strong, showed no significant change: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapprove of marijuana use; 86% believe smoking pot is risky.
OTHER INDICATORS In addition to the core measures, the 8th grade Life Skills survey asks about other riskrelated attitudes and behaviors: (1) perceived availability of substances, (2) perception of peer disapproval, and (3) vehicular safety. (These questions are not included on the abbreviated 6th/7th grade survey.) This year all three indicators moved in the desired direction. This year’s 8th graders believe that all substances are harder for them to get than did students in the past three years. Peer disapproval rates also reached their highest levels in three years. Finally, the number of 8th graders who rode with a driver who had been drinking fell significantly (although the number riding with a marijuana-impaired driver did not change). PERCEIVED AVAILABILITY (Question 2): 8th grade students say all substances are harder to get. This year's 8th graders believe that all substances are less available to them than they were to past 8th graders. All students—100%—said that it was hard to get "other drugs." More students than ever before—83%—said it was difficult for them to get cigarettes, a change that is statistically significant.4 Similarly, the number who said that alcohol is hard to get rose significantly, from 29% last year to 51% this year.5 Students also see marijuana as harder to get, although that change is not significant. The belief that alcohol and cigarettes are harder to get are consistent with changes in the core indicators discussed above and reinforce the inference that student attitudes are becoming less favorable toward substance use. Figure 5 displays availability data over the life of the project. Table 13 presents the rates of perceived availability for the past three years.
4 5
p = .00 using Pearson's chi-square p = .00 using Pearson's chi-square
13
FIGURE 5
th
Table 13. 2008-2010 perception of availability for 8 graders in percent. Percent who said it is "sort of hard" or "very hard" for teens to get... Alcohol
2008
2009
2010
38
29
51
Cigarettes
60
59
83
Marijuana
70
76
82
Other illegal drugs
93
97
100
Perceived availability by gender. As Table 14 shows, this year there was no difference between girls and boys in their perceptions about the availability of substances. There was , however, a difference in the way their attitudes changed from last year. Boys posted desirable 14
changes in their perceptions about the availability of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana that were all statistically significant.6 For girls, only their beliefs about the availability of cigarettes changed significantly. Table 14 compares responses by gender. th
Table 14. Change in 8 grade students’ perceptions of availability of substances from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who said it is "sort of hard" or "very hard" for teens to get...
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
Alcohol
38
50
+12
20
53
+33
Cigarettes
56
81
+25
62
85
+22
Marijuana
84
78
-6
67
85
+18
Other illegal drugs
93
100
+7
100
100
0
PERCEPTION OF PEER DISAPPROVAL (Question 5): More 8th graders disapprove of substance use. The number of 8th graders who themselves disapprove of substance use increased for all substances this year. The levels of disapproval reported this year are the highest ever for alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs (at 93%, the disapproval rate for marijuana fell just short of the 2006 rate of 95%). Consistent with other desirable shifts regarding alcohol use, the 17% increase in the number of 8th graders who disapprove of youth drinking was statistically significant. Figure 6 tracks youth disapproval of substance use since 1999. Table 15 displays these data for the past three years numerically.
6
Using Pearson's chi-square, p = .00 for alcohol, .02 for cigarettes and .05 for marijuana. 15
FIGURE 6
th
Table 15. 2008-2010 peer disapproval for 8 graders in percent. Percent who said it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to Drink alcohol
2008
2009
2010
72
66
83
Smoke cigarettes
84
88
94
Use marijuana
83
89
93
Use other illegal drugs
95
97
100
Peer disapproval by gender. There were no significant differences between boys' and girls' responses this year regarding disapproval of substance use (although the difference between boys' and girls' attitudes about drinking is significant as the less restrictive 10% confidence level). More noteworthy is the large increase in the number of boys from 2009 to 16
2010 who disapprove of youth drinking, a change that is statistically significant.7 Overall these data suggest that both boys and girls are moving in the direction of greater disapproval of substance use. Table 16 shows these changes by gender from 2009 to 2010. th
Table 16. Change in 8 grade students’ disapproval from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who said it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
Drink alcohol
64
75
+11
67
90
+23
Smoke cigarettes
87
94
+7
91
95
+4
Use marijuana
93
91
-2
84
95
+11
Use other illegal drugs
93
100
+7
100
100
0
VEHICULAR SAFETY (Question 3): Fewer 8th graders rode with an alcoholimpaired driver. The number of 8th graders who rode with an alcohol-impaired driver fell significantly this year, from 37% in 2009 to 17% in 2010. The number who reported riding with a driver who had been using marijuana held steady at 10%. Figure 7 graphs this indicator through time; Table 17 displays the gender differences for this item, showing that both boys and girls contributed to the decline in the number of students who rode with an alcohol-impaired driver. . This decrease is welcome news, suggesting that both parents and teens are more vigilant about the dangers of putting drinkers behind the wheel. There is an important relationship between using alcohol or marijuana and riding with an impaired driver.8 Students who reported drinking or smoking marijuana in the past 30 days were significantly more likely to ride with an impaired diver than were abstainers. 37% of those who had either drunk alcohol or smoked marijuana in the previous month reported riding with an alcohol-impaired driver, compared to 11% of non-drinkers/marijuana users. Similarly, 37% of 8th graders who either drank or smoked marijuana in the past month had ridden with a driver who had been using marijuana, compared to only 2% of students who had done neither
7
p = ,01 using Pearson's chi-square. For the relationship between substance use and riding with an alcohol-impaired driver, p = .03, using Pearson's chi-square. For the relationship between substance use and riding with a marijuana-impaired driver, p = .00 using Pearson's chi-square. 8
17
FIGURE 7
th
Table 17. Change in 8 grade students’ vehicular safety from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who in the past 30 days rode with a driver who had been...
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
Drinking alcohol
42
22
-22
31
13
-18
Using marijuana
13
13
0
7
7
0
CONCLUSIONS: OTHER INDICATORS The "other indicators"—peer disapproval, perceived availability and vehicular safety—all changed in the desired direction (or, in one case, stayed the same) for all substances, reinforcing the message of the core measures: teen use of and attitudes about substances are moving in the
18
desired direction. As with the core indicators, the biggest positive shifts concerned alcohol, where last year's spike in undesirable attitudes and behaviors was more than offset by this year's decline in use and increase in desirable attitudes. While a single year's data does not establish a trend, the fact that the reduction in risky behaviors and attitudes is consistent across all substances and indicators and for both genders suggests that a healthier environment around substance use many be emerging for WACP youth. In summary, Figures 8 -10 below organize the main indicators for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana over time, showing how closely they track together. Note that actual use has been graphed in terms of the number of students who did NOT use the substance, so that for every indicator an upward slope over time reflects the desired direction of change. Appendices 1 -5 provide a gender-based perspective on substance use. Appendices 1 and 2 compare boys’ and girls’ behavior by substance. Appendices 3 – 5 compare use of the three major substances by gender. FIGURE 8
19
FIGURE 9
20
FIGURE 10
21
APPENDIX 1.
22
APPENDIX 2
23
APPENDIX 3
24
APPENDIX 4
25
APPENDIX 5
26
APPENDIX 6: The Windsor Area Community Partnership Student Survey This survey is about health behavior. It has been developed so that you can tell us what you do that may affect your health. DO NOT write your name on the survey. The answers you give will be kept private. No one will know what you write. Answer the questions based on what you really do. Completing the survey is voluntary. Whether or not you answer the questions will not affect your grade in this class. The information you give will not be used to find out your name. No names will be reported. To show your answer, please fill in the circle completely, like this:
1. Are you
" "
!
female male
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA ND OTHER DRUGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY (Marijuana is also called grass or pot.)
2. If you wanted to get some, how easy would it be for you to get each of these things? Very hard
Sort of hard
Sort of easy
Very easy
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor such as rum, gin, vodka or whiskey Cigarettes Marijuana Cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, or other illegal drugs
THE NEXT TWO QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT PERSONAL SAFETY. 3. During the past 30 days, how many times did you ride in a car or other vehicle: 0 times
1 time
2 or 3 times
4 or 5 times
6 or more times
Driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol?
"
"
"
"
"
Driven by someone who had been smoking marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
27
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT YOUR PARENTS’ ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARD ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUGS. FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS PAGE, DRINKING ALCOHOL DOES NOT INCLUDE DRINKING A FEW SIPS OF WINE FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES.
4. How wrong do your parents feel it would be for you to…
Drink beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly (at least twice a month)? Smoke cigarettes? Smoke marijuana? Use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or other illegal drugs?
Very wrong
Wrong
A little bit wrong
Not at all wrong
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARD ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUGS.
5. How wrong do you think it is for someone your age to…
Drink beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly (at least twice a month)? Smoke cigarettes? Smoke marijuana? Use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or other illegal drugs?
Very wrong
Wrong
A little bit wrong
Not at all wrong
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
28
6. How much do you think people risk harming themselves (physically or in other ways) if they: No risk Slight risk Moderate Great risk risk Take one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage (beer, wine, liquor) nearly every day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke one or more packs of cigarettes per day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke marijuana regularly?
"
"
"
"
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT USING TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUGS. 7. How old were you when you first: Never have
10 or younger
11
12
13
14
15 or older
Had more than one sip or two of beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked a cigarette, even a puff?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Sniffed glue, paint, or something you inhale to get high?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
8. Cigarette use
How frequently have you smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days?
Not at all
Less than one cigarette per day
One to five cigarettes per day
About one-half pack per day
About one pack per day
One pack or more per day
"
"
"
"
"
"
29
9. In the past 30 days, on how many occasions (if any) did you… 0
1–2
3–5
20
occasions
occasions
6–9 occasions
10–19
occasions
occasions
or more occasions
Have a drink of beer, wine, or hard liquor?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Have more than 5 drinks in a row?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Use marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Sniff glue, paint, or something you inhale to get high?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or other illegal drugs? Use over-the-counter or prescription drugs to get high?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Thank you!
30
APPENDIX 7: The Windsor Area Community Partnership Student Survey This survey is about health behavior. It has been developed so that you can tell us what you do that may affect your health. DO NOT write your name on the survey. The answers you give will be kept private. No one will know what you write. Answer the questions based on what you really do. Completing the survey is voluntary. Whether or not you answer the questions will not affect your grade in this class. The information you give will not be used to find out your name. No names will be reported. To show your answer, please fill in the circle completely, like this:
1. In what grade are you?
" "
6th 7th
!
2. Are you
" "
female male
FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS PAGE, DRINKING ALCOHOL DOES NOT INCLUDE DRINKING A FEW SIPS OF WINE FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. 3. How wrong do your parents feel it would be for you to:
Drink beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly (at least twice a month)? Smoke cigarettes? Smoke marijuana?
Very wrong
Wrong
A little bit wrong
Not at all wrong
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
4. How much do you think people risk harming themselves (physically or in other ways) if they: No risk
Slight risk
Moderate risk
Great risk
Take one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage (beer, wine, liquor) nearly every day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke one or more packs of cigarettes per day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke marijuana regularly?
"
"
"
"
31
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT USING TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUGS.
5. How old were you when you first: Never have
10 or younger
11
12
13
14
15 or older
Had more than one sip or two of beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked a cigarette, even a puff?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
6. Cigarette use Not at all
Less than one cigarette per day
One to five cigarette s per day
About one-half pack per day
About one pack per day
One pack or more per day
"
"
"
"
"
"
How frequently have you smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days?
7. Alcohol and marijuana use 0
1–2
3–5
20
occasions
occasions
6–9 occasions
10–19
occasions
occasions
or more occasions
On how many occasions (if any) have you had beer, wine, or hard liquor during the past 30 days?
"
"
"
"
"
"
On how many occasions (if any) have you used marijuana during the past 30 days?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Thank you!
32
Year Twelve Evaluation Report: 2009 - 20010
5 September 2010
Prepared by: Jane Korey 1226 New Boston Road Norwich, VT [email protected]
This is the twelfth year that eighth-grade students in Weathersfield, Hartland and Windsor have participated in the Life Skills curriculum as part of the Windsor Area Community Partnership's initiative to reduce adolescent substance use. Prevention progress is tracked annually using a specially designed survey completed by eighth graders in late May or early June. At the same time a shorter survey, including only the four core measures required by the funding Drug Free Communities Support Program, is completed by 6th and 7th graders in Hartland, Weathersfield, Windsor and Brownsville (West Windsor). The surveys are included here as Appendices 6 (8th grade) and 7 (6th-7th grade). This report focuses on the eighth-grade survey data, for which we have deep chronological comparisons, adding the 6th and 7th grade data where available, for context. Keep in mind that small changes in one direction or the other are more likely to be statistical "noise" than to indicate real underlying change. With small populations like these, the behavior of a single student can cause a swing of several percentage points in the rate. Changes that are statistically significant are indicated as such. Frequency reports tabulating full responses to all survey items for each grade in each school accompany this report.
HIGHLIGHTS • Alcohol use declined as the entire constellation of alcohol indicators moved in the desired direction. Past-month drinking among 8th graders fell from 29% in 2009 to 21% this year; bingeing fell from 7% to 3%. The number of 8th graders who believe that regular drinking is risky rose significantly, from 49% last year to 68% in 2010. 87% of 8th graders say their parents think it is wrong for them to drink, up from 80% last year. The number of students who themselves believe it is wrong for someone of their age to drink also rose, from 66% last year to 83% in 2010. The number of students who rode with drivers who had been drinking fell significantly, from 37% in 2009 to 17% this year. • Cigarette smoking stands at it’s lowest rate ever for WACP 8th graders. Only one 8th grader reported smoking in the past 30 days, bringing the smoking rate to 1%. Other indicators about smoking, which have been strong for a number of years, stayed strong: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapproved of smoking; 94% disapproved of smoking themselves and 90% said it was risky. • Students delayed experimenting with marijuana. The average age of trying marijuana for the first time rose a full year, from 12 to 13 years. Marijuana use declined from 7% last year to 5% this year. As with tobacco, the other indicators remained strong: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapprove of marijuana use; 93% themselves disapprove and 86% believe smoking pot is risky. • Teens say all substances are harder to get. More students than ever before— 83%—said it was difficult for them to get cigarettes. The number who said that alcohol is hard to get also rose significantly, from 29% last year to 51% this year. All students—100%—said that it was hard to get "other drugs."
1
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS The Sample. This year 72 WACP 8th graders—83% of the district's 8th grade students—completed the four-page, 29-item Windsor Area Community Partnership Student Survey. This number includes 79% of Hartland 8th graders, 83% of Windsor 8th graders and 92% of Weathersfield 8th graders. 44% of 8th grade survey takers were female; 56% were male. To simplify survey-taking, students were not asked about their ethnicity or age.1 Table 1 tracks 8th grade survey participation over the life of the survey. 74 sixth graders (89% of all 6th graders) and 77 seventh graders (79% of all 7th graders) completed the abbreviated, 14-item survey that covers the four core areas: substance use, parental disapproval, age of initiation and risk of harm. This year 46% of 6th graders completing the survey were females and 54% males. For the 7th grade the gender proportions were 48% female and 52% male. Table 2 shows 6th and 7th grade survey participation for the four years that students from these grades have been required to supply data on the core measures. Life Skills instructors are to be commended for this year's high participation rate. Given the usual number of daily absentees, the fact that 83% of the enrolled middle school population completed the survey suggests that we can have great confidence in the results. th
Table 1. Number of 8 graders completing the WACP Student Survey YEAR
HARTLAND
1999
WEATHERSFIELD 17
WINDSOR
TOTAL
30
47
2000
57
32
60
149
2001
46
25
66
137
2002
50
34
40
124
2003
39
22
57
118
2004
49
38
34
121
2005
46
35
42
123
2006
36
22
41
99
2007
43
28
37
108
2008
34
30
45
109
2009
49
13
32
94
2010
27
12
33
72
1
There is too little ethnic or age variation among WACP 8th graders to make these characteristics statistically useful. 2
th
Table 2. Number of 6 and 7th graders completing the abbreviated WACP Student Survey YEAR
2007
2008
2009
2010
GRADE
HARTLAND
WINDSOR
44
WEATHERSFIELD 17
6 7
36
32
43
6
30
12
33
7
47
16
36
6
10
25
7
8
37
17
6
32
14
22
7
35
20
22
BROWNSVILLE 11
TOTAL 89 111
11
86 99
8
43 45
6
74 77
THE CORE MEASURES PAST 30-DAY USE (Questions 8 & 9): 8th grade substance use declines. Substance use among WACP 8th graders fell in almost all categories of use. Most notable is the drop in the past-month smoking rate to 1%, the lowest rate ever achieved among WACP 8th graders (this represents the behavior of a single student). The decline in alcohol use is also important, where both the past-month drinking rate and the rate of binge drinking fell. In previous years at least a quarter and sometimes as many as half of all 8th graders who drank in the past 30 days also said they drank five drinks in a row. This year only 14% of 8th grade drinkers engaged in this much more dangerous practice. The increase in use of "other drugs" from 0% last year to 1% this year (again representing the behavior of a single student) is the only exception to an otherwise consistent reduction in the use of risky substances. Figure 1 shows that 8th grade use rates for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana has declined over the past 12 years (1999 – 2010), despite the year-to-year variations we expect in a small population. Table 3 presents in tabular form the substance use rates for all substances surveyed for the same years.
3
FIGURE 1.
Table 3. Past 30-day substance use by WACP 8th graders, by year, in percent. Percent who... Drank alcohol Binged Smoked cigarettes Used marijuana Huffed Used other drugs Used Rx or OTC drugs
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
34
33
32
27
18
36
20
12
16
28
29
21
9
15
10
14
8
11
5
1
9
12
7
3
17
13
18
8
6
12
6
4
6
12
6
1
11
13
19
15
7
11
8
1
4
6
7
5
6
15
2
2
4
7
7
4
3
3
2
0
4
3
0
1
2
1
4
4
1
0
3
2
3
4
Substance use by gender. The decline in drinking came mostly from a change in boys’ behavior; girls’ drinking remained essentially unchanged. Binge drinking fell among both boys and girls. Boys' use of cigarettes and marijuana also declined from 2009 to 2010. While not statistically significant, owing to small sample size, these changes are important. Girls' smoking and inhalant use also fell. Table 4 shows these results. Table 4. Change in past-30-day substance use from 2009 to 2010, for 8th graders, by gender, in percent. Percent who... 2009
GIRLS 2010
CHANGE
2009
BOYS 2010
CHANGE
Drank alcohol
27
28
+1
33
16
-17
Binged
9
3
-6
7
3
-4
Smoked cigarettes
9
3
-6
4
0
-4
Used marijuana
7
9
+2
9
5
-4
Huffed
11
3
-8
4
5
+1
Used other drugs
0
0
0
0
3
+3
Used Rx or OTC drugs
2
0
-2
0
0
0
Substance use by grade. Table 5 shows alcohol, cigarette and marijuana use rates for 6th, 7th and 8th graders over the past three years. The three-year average smoothes year-to-year variations and helps show how substance use increases as children grow older. The year-to-year variations, however, help us appreciate that different cohorts of students have different risk profiles. Looking at this year's 8th graders (who were 6th graders in 2008 and 7th graders in 2009) over time, we see that although they posted a relatively high drinking rate in 2008, the increase in their risky behavior has been small, with most of the rise in drinking occurring in the 7th grade. This year's 7th graders posted very low drinking rates, as they did as 6th graders in 2009. Students who were in 6th grade in 2010, however, appear (like present 8th graders) to be more active experimenters, with one in ten saying that had drunk alcohol the previous month.
Table 5. 2008-2010 past-30-day substance use rates for 6th, 7th and 8th graders, in percent. Percent who... Drank alcohol Smoked cigarettes Used marijuana
6
th
7
2008
2009
2010
13
2
1 0
th
8
2008
2009
2010
11
3 YR AVG 9
15
20
0
3
1
3
0
1
1
0
th
2008
2009
2010
8
3 YR AVG 14
28
29
21
3 YR AVG 26
0
1
1
12
6
1
6
4
1
2
6
7
5
6
5
AVERAGE AGE OF ONSET (Question 7): 8th graders delayed trying marijuana by a year. This year's 8th graders were a year older than last year's when they first tried marijuana. As Figure 2 shows, the age of onset for marijuana use, after hovering for many years around 12 years old, is 13 years of age for this class. (Marijuana use also declined this year.) The age of experimenting with alcohol remains unchanged, at about 12 years. After rising to 12 years old last year, the age of first trying cigarettes dropped back to 11 years, where it stood for all but last year. Recall, however, that only one 8th grader had actually smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days. FIGURE 2
Age of onset by gender. Table 6 breaks down the change in age of onset by gender, showing that this years’ boys tended to try substances at a younger age than girls, although their past-month use was lower than girls’ for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana.
6
Table 6. Change in the age of onset from 2009 to 2010 among 8th graders who had experimented, by gender, in percent. Average age of first us of... Alcohol Cigarettes Marijuana Inhalants
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
12.4 (N = 25) 12.5 (N = 13) 12.3 (N = 3) 12.4 (N = 8)
12.3 (N = 16) 11.7 (N = 6) 13.4 (N = 5) 13.0 (N = 2)
-0.1
11.7 (N = 32) 12.0 (N = 5) 12.1 (N = 9) 12.2 (N = 5)
11.6 (N = 20) 10.0 (N = 1) 12.0 (N = 1) 10.3 (N = 4)
-0.1
-0.8 +1.1 +.6
-2.0 -0.1 -1.9
Number who have experimented. Table 7 shows the actual number of students who have ever tried alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana or inhalants. The percentage of students who had tried any substances fell to 53%. In almost all cases, the substance they have tried is alcohol: of the 38 students who had ever tried any substance, 36 (95%) of them have tried alcohol. Table 7. Number of 8th graders who have ever tried substances, by year. 2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Smoked a cigarette (even a puff)
30
47
31
14
16
25
19
7
Had more than a sip or two of alcohol
63
81
72
43
50
62
59
36
Smoked marijuana
19
28
21
8
8
12
13
6
Sniffed something to get high
13
33
16
7
10
12
13
6
Total NUMBER of students in class
118
121
123
99
108
109
94
72
Total NUMBER of students who have tried any substance PERCENT of class who have tried a substance.
65
88
75
46
54
64
62
38
55%
73%
61%
46%
50%
59%
66%
53%
Number of students who have ever...
Age of onset by grade. Table 8 displays the average age of onset by grade for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana for the past three years. Because very few middle school students have smoked cigarettes or used marijuana, we cannot infer real change from annual variations in the age of onset for those substances. Data about initiating alcohol use among 8th graders, which involve a larger number of students, show that the increase in age of onset from 2008 (11.3 years) to the older initiation ages of 2009 and 2010 (12.0 and 11.9, respectively), is statistically significant. Sustaining the older age of onset for alcohol use for an additional year is an important outcome for the project.
7
Table 8. 2009-2010 age of onset for 6th, 7th and 8th graders, in percent. Average age of onset for use of... Alcohol (number using) Cigarettes (number using) Marijuana (number using)
th
th
th
2008
6 2009
2010
2008
7 2009
2010
2008
8 2009
2010
10.5 (36)
10.4 (11)
10.5 (21)
11.4 (48)
11.1 (21)
11.3 (30)
11.3 (62)
12.0 (59)
11.9 (36)
10.7 (6)
10.0 (1)
11.0 (2)
12.2 (13)
12.0 (2)
11.3 (3)
11.6 (25)
12.4 (19)
11.4 (7)
13.0 (2)
(0)
11.0 (1)
13.8 (6)
13.0 (1)
12.0 (1)
12.1 (12)
12.2 (13)
13.2 (6)
PERCEPTION OF RISK (Question 6): More students see alcohol use as risky. Since 2007 students' perception of the risk of harm in using substances has been measured by asking them to evaluate the risk of taking one or two drinks of alcohol nearly every day, of smoking a pack or more of cigarettes per day and of smoking marijuana “regularly” (an undefined rate).2 Note that the question asks students to evaluate risk to anyone, not just to youth. This year, for the first time, the number of 8th graders who believe that regular, non-binge drinking poses harm rose significantly, from 49% last year to 68% this year. This is highest level this indicator has reached since 2007. Recall that the percentage of 8th grade students who reported drinking in the past month also fell sharply this year, from 29% to 21%. There is a significant association between beliefs about risk and drinking: 44% of students who said there was "no/slight" risk in moderate regular drinking had drunk alcohol in the preceding month, compared to 11% of those who said the risk of such drinking was "moderate/great."3 The small changes in either direction in the risk of harm ascribed to smoking cigarettes and using marijuana are not significant. Figure 3 shows 8th graders' change in risk assessment over the past four years.
2
Before 2007 other rates of use were specified, making those data incommensurate with date from 2007 to the present. 3 p = .002, using Pearson's chi-square. 8
FIGURE 3
Perceived risk by gender. Table 9 shows that both boys and girls saw drinking as riskier than previous 8th graders. The change in boys' attitudes about alcohol is statistically significant. th
Table 9. Change in risk perceptions from 2009 to 2010, among 8 graders, by gender, in percent. Percent who said it was risky to...
2009
GIRLS 2010
CHANGE
2009
BOYS 2010
CHANGE
Take 1-2 drinks/day
55
68
+13
42
68
+26
Smoke 1+ packs cigarettes/day Use marijuana reg'ly
93
87
-6
93
93
0
86
87
+1
76
85
+9
Perceived risk by grade. Table 12 tracks risk perception across the grades for the past three years. Taking a three year average, which smoothes out the year-to-year changes within 9
each grade, we see that students see all substances as less risky as they grow older, but the difference is quite small for smoking, falling only 5% over three years, and much larger for both marijuana (13%) and alcohol (16%). The stability of attitudes about the risk of smoking suggest that students see smoking as a non-starter, while they remain more open to both alcohol and marijuana use in the future. th
th
th
Table 10. 2008-2010 perception of risk for 6 , 7 and 8 graders, in percent. Percent who said it was risky to... Take 1-2 drinks/day Smoke 1+ packs cigarettes/day Use marijuana reg'ly
6
th
7
2008
2009
2010
77
65
94 96
th
8
2008
2009
2010
74
3 YR AVG 72
61
71
91
96
94
94
93
97
95
90
th
2008
2009
2010
67
3 YR AVG 66
52
49
68
3 YR AVG 56
93
91
93
82
94
90
89
81
92
88
78
82
86
82
PERCEPTION OF PARENTAL DISAPPROVAL (Question 4): Almost all students believe their parents disapprove of teen substance use. Almost all 8th graders believe—by large margins—that their parents disapprove of teen substance use. This year 97% said their parents believe it is "wrong/very wrong" for them to smoke cigarettes, use marijuana or other drugs. The number who say their parents disapprove of dinking rose from 80% to 87%, an increase that is important (although not statistically significant). Figure 4, below, which graphs both past 30-day student use and perceived parental attitudes, shows how important parental attitudes are to youth behavior. There is a strongly significant inverse correlation between perceived parental disapproval and actual substance use by 8th graders over the life of the survey. The relationship is easiest to see graphically regarding alcohol: when parental disapproval goes down, teen drinking goes up. This relationship suggests that changing parental attitudes is key to reducing substance use, especially drinking, among these students.
10
FIGURE 4
Perceived parental disapproval by gender. Boys and girls equally, and strongly, believe their parents disapprove of substance use. There is no statistical difference between the genders in their assessment of parental attitudes. There is also little difference in perceived parental attitudes by gender between 2009 and 2010, with the important exception of boys' perception of their parents' attitudes about alcohol. The increase of 19% from 2009 to 2010 in the number of boys who say their parents disapprove of drinking is significant. Table 11 shows these data.
11
th
Table 11. Change in 8 grade students’ perceptions of parents’ disapproval of substance use from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who said their parents feel it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to... Drink 1-2 times/month
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
89
84
-5
71
90
+19
Smoke cigarettes
98
97
-1
93
97
+4
Smoke marijuana
100
94
-6
91
100
+9
Use other illegal drugs
98
97
-1
100
97
-3
Perceived parental disapproval by grade. Table 12 tracks parental disapproval across the grades from 2008 through 2010, showing that almost all students in all grades believe their parents disapprove strongly of cigarette smoking and marijuana use. The three-year average, which reveals change by grade more clearly than more variable annual readings, shows that students believe parental attitudes about alcohol—but not about tobacco and marijuana—become more permissive with age. This year perceptions of parental disapproval of youth drinking strengthened, with more 6th and 8th graders saying their parents disapprove. It is interesting that the expectable decrease in perceptions of parental disapproval with increase in age did not occur for this year's 8th graders: they posted the same rate of parental disapproval last year, when they were 7th graders. th
th
th
Table 12. 2007-2009 perception of parental disapproval for 6 , 7 and 8 graders in percent. Percent who said their parents feel it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to... Drink 1-2 times/month Smoke cigarettes Smoke marijuana
6
th
7
th
8
th
2008
2009
2010
3 YR AVG
2008
2009
2010
3 YR AVG
2008
2009
2010
3 YR AVG
94
84
93
90
91
87
87
88
78
80
87
82
99
93
99
97
98
98
99
98
95
96
97
96
99
98
99
99
99
82
96
92
94
96
97
96
CONCLUSIONS: CORE MEASURES. There is only good news for WACP Life Skills prevention efforts this year. Use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana all declined; in the case of cigarettes, to a record low level. Other indicators either remained at already strong levels or moved in the desired direction. Alcohol. The most notable progress concerned youth drinking, where fewer 8th graders' reported drinking or bingeing in the past 30 days. Drinking fell from 29% last year to 21% this year; bingeing from 7% to 3%. The number who believe that regular drinking is risky rose significantly, from 49% last year to 68% in 2010. Students' perceptions of parental disapproval also moved in the desired direction, with 87% saying their parents think it is wrong for them to drink, up from 80% last year. Although the age of initiation did not change, remaining at 12
12
years, the fact that all other indicators moved together in the desired direction suggests that a real shift in attitudes about underage drinking may be underway. Cigarettes. Only one 8th grader reported smoking in the past 30 days, bringing the smoking rate to 1%, the lowest ever recorded by the project. Other indicators about smoking, which have been strong for a number of years, showed no significant change: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapproved of smoking; 90% said smoking was risky. These data reinforce the conclusion that tobacco prevention efforts at the coalition, state and national level are having an impact on youth behavior. Marijuana. Marijuana use also declined, from 7% last year to 5% this year. At the same time, students delayed experimenting with marijuana, with the age of initiation rising a full year, from 12.0 to 13.0 years. As with tobacco, the other indicators, which were already strong, showed no significant change: 97% of 8th graders said their parents disapprove of marijuana use; 86% believe smoking pot is risky.
OTHER INDICATORS In addition to the core measures, the 8th grade Life Skills survey asks about other riskrelated attitudes and behaviors: (1) perceived availability of substances, (2) perception of peer disapproval, and (3) vehicular safety. (These questions are not included on the abbreviated 6th/7th grade survey.) This year all three indicators moved in the desired direction. This year’s 8th graders believe that all substances are harder for them to get than did students in the past three years. Peer disapproval rates also reached their highest levels in three years. Finally, the number of 8th graders who rode with a driver who had been drinking fell significantly (although the number riding with a marijuana-impaired driver did not change). PERCEIVED AVAILABILITY (Question 2): 8th grade students say all substances are harder to get. This year's 8th graders believe that all substances are less available to them than they were to past 8th graders. All students—100%—said that it was hard to get "other drugs." More students than ever before—83%—said it was difficult for them to get cigarettes, a change that is statistically significant.4 Similarly, the number who said that alcohol is hard to get rose significantly, from 29% last year to 51% this year.5 Students also see marijuana as harder to get, although that change is not significant. The belief that alcohol and cigarettes are harder to get are consistent with changes in the core indicators discussed above and reinforce the inference that student attitudes are becoming less favorable toward substance use. Figure 5 displays availability data over the life of the project. Table 13 presents the rates of perceived availability for the past three years.
4 5
p = .00 using Pearson's chi-square p = .00 using Pearson's chi-square
13
FIGURE 5
th
Table 13. 2008-2010 perception of availability for 8 graders in percent. Percent who said it is "sort of hard" or "very hard" for teens to get... Alcohol
2008
2009
2010
38
29
51
Cigarettes
60
59
83
Marijuana
70
76
82
Other illegal drugs
93
97
100
Perceived availability by gender. As Table 14 shows, this year there was no difference between girls and boys in their perceptions about the availability of substances. There was , however, a difference in the way their attitudes changed from last year. Boys posted desirable 14
changes in their perceptions about the availability of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana that were all statistically significant.6 For girls, only their beliefs about the availability of cigarettes changed significantly. Table 14 compares responses by gender. th
Table 14. Change in 8 grade students’ perceptions of availability of substances from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who said it is "sort of hard" or "very hard" for teens to get...
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
Alcohol
38
50
+12
20
53
+33
Cigarettes
56
81
+25
62
85
+22
Marijuana
84
78
-6
67
85
+18
Other illegal drugs
93
100
+7
100
100
0
PERCEPTION OF PEER DISAPPROVAL (Question 5): More 8th graders disapprove of substance use. The number of 8th graders who themselves disapprove of substance use increased for all substances this year. The levels of disapproval reported this year are the highest ever for alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs (at 93%, the disapproval rate for marijuana fell just short of the 2006 rate of 95%). Consistent with other desirable shifts regarding alcohol use, the 17% increase in the number of 8th graders who disapprove of youth drinking was statistically significant. Figure 6 tracks youth disapproval of substance use since 1999. Table 15 displays these data for the past three years numerically.
6
Using Pearson's chi-square, p = .00 for alcohol, .02 for cigarettes and .05 for marijuana. 15
FIGURE 6
th
Table 15. 2008-2010 peer disapproval for 8 graders in percent. Percent who said it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to Drink alcohol
2008
2009
2010
72
66
83
Smoke cigarettes
84
88
94
Use marijuana
83
89
93
Use other illegal drugs
95
97
100
Peer disapproval by gender. There were no significant differences between boys' and girls' responses this year regarding disapproval of substance use (although the difference between boys' and girls' attitudes about drinking is significant as the less restrictive 10% confidence level). More noteworthy is the large increase in the number of boys from 2009 to 16
2010 who disapprove of youth drinking, a change that is statistically significant.7 Overall these data suggest that both boys and girls are moving in the direction of greater disapproval of substance use. Table 16 shows these changes by gender from 2009 to 2010. th
Table 16. Change in 8 grade students’ disapproval from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who said it is "wrong" or "very wrong" for teens to
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
Drink alcohol
64
75
+11
67
90
+23
Smoke cigarettes
87
94
+7
91
95
+4
Use marijuana
93
91
-2
84
95
+11
Use other illegal drugs
93
100
+7
100
100
0
VEHICULAR SAFETY (Question 3): Fewer 8th graders rode with an alcoholimpaired driver. The number of 8th graders who rode with an alcohol-impaired driver fell significantly this year, from 37% in 2009 to 17% in 2010. The number who reported riding with a driver who had been using marijuana held steady at 10%. Figure 7 graphs this indicator through time; Table 17 displays the gender differences for this item, showing that both boys and girls contributed to the decline in the number of students who rode with an alcohol-impaired driver. . This decrease is welcome news, suggesting that both parents and teens are more vigilant about the dangers of putting drinkers behind the wheel. There is an important relationship between using alcohol or marijuana and riding with an impaired driver.8 Students who reported drinking or smoking marijuana in the past 30 days were significantly more likely to ride with an impaired diver than were abstainers. 37% of those who had either drunk alcohol or smoked marijuana in the previous month reported riding with an alcohol-impaired driver, compared to 11% of non-drinkers/marijuana users. Similarly, 37% of 8th graders who either drank or smoked marijuana in the past month had ridden with a driver who had been using marijuana, compared to only 2% of students who had done neither
7
p = ,01 using Pearson's chi-square. For the relationship between substance use and riding with an alcohol-impaired driver, p = .03, using Pearson's chi-square. For the relationship between substance use and riding with a marijuana-impaired driver, p = .00 using Pearson's chi-square. 8
17
FIGURE 7
th
Table 17. Change in 8 grade students’ vehicular safety from 2009 to 2010, by gender in percent Percent who in the past 30 days rode with a driver who had been...
GIRLS
BOYS
2009
2010
CHANGE
2009
2010
CHANGE
Drinking alcohol
42
22
-22
31
13
-18
Using marijuana
13
13
0
7
7
0
CONCLUSIONS: OTHER INDICATORS The "other indicators"—peer disapproval, perceived availability and vehicular safety—all changed in the desired direction (or, in one case, stayed the same) for all substances, reinforcing the message of the core measures: teen use of and attitudes about substances are moving in the
18
desired direction. As with the core indicators, the biggest positive shifts concerned alcohol, where last year's spike in undesirable attitudes and behaviors was more than offset by this year's decline in use and increase in desirable attitudes. While a single year's data does not establish a trend, the fact that the reduction in risky behaviors and attitudes is consistent across all substances and indicators and for both genders suggests that a healthier environment around substance use many be emerging for WACP youth. In summary, Figures 8 -10 below organize the main indicators for alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana over time, showing how closely they track together. Note that actual use has been graphed in terms of the number of students who did NOT use the substance, so that for every indicator an upward slope over time reflects the desired direction of change. Appendices 1 -5 provide a gender-based perspective on substance use. Appendices 1 and 2 compare boys’ and girls’ behavior by substance. Appendices 3 – 5 compare use of the three major substances by gender. FIGURE 8
19
FIGURE 9
20
FIGURE 10
21
APPENDIX 1.
22
APPENDIX 2
23
APPENDIX 3
24
APPENDIX 4
25
APPENDIX 5
26
APPENDIX 6: The Windsor Area Community Partnership Student Survey This survey is about health behavior. It has been developed so that you can tell us what you do that may affect your health. DO NOT write your name on the survey. The answers you give will be kept private. No one will know what you write. Answer the questions based on what you really do. Completing the survey is voluntary. Whether or not you answer the questions will not affect your grade in this class. The information you give will not be used to find out your name. No names will be reported. To show your answer, please fill in the circle completely, like this:
1. Are you
" "
!
female male
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA ND OTHER DRUGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY (Marijuana is also called grass or pot.)
2. If you wanted to get some, how easy would it be for you to get each of these things? Very hard
Sort of hard
Sort of easy
Very easy
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Beer, wine, wine coolers, or liquor such as rum, gin, vodka or whiskey Cigarettes Marijuana Cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, or other illegal drugs
THE NEXT TWO QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT PERSONAL SAFETY. 3. During the past 30 days, how many times did you ride in a car or other vehicle: 0 times
1 time
2 or 3 times
4 or 5 times
6 or more times
Driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol?
"
"
"
"
"
Driven by someone who had been smoking marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
27
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT YOUR PARENTS’ ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARD ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUGS. FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS PAGE, DRINKING ALCOHOL DOES NOT INCLUDE DRINKING A FEW SIPS OF WINE FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES.
4. How wrong do your parents feel it would be for you to…
Drink beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly (at least twice a month)? Smoke cigarettes? Smoke marijuana? Use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or other illegal drugs?
Very wrong
Wrong
A little bit wrong
Not at all wrong
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT YOUR ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARD ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUGS.
5. How wrong do you think it is for someone your age to…
Drink beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly (at least twice a month)? Smoke cigarettes? Smoke marijuana? Use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or other illegal drugs?
Very wrong
Wrong
A little bit wrong
Not at all wrong
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
28
6. How much do you think people risk harming themselves (physically or in other ways) if they: No risk Slight risk Moderate Great risk risk Take one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage (beer, wine, liquor) nearly every day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke one or more packs of cigarettes per day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke marijuana regularly?
"
"
"
"
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT USING TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUGS. 7. How old were you when you first: Never have
10 or younger
11
12
13
14
15 or older
Had more than one sip or two of beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked a cigarette, even a puff?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Sniffed glue, paint, or something you inhale to get high?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
8. Cigarette use
How frequently have you smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days?
Not at all
Less than one cigarette per day
One to five cigarettes per day
About one-half pack per day
About one pack per day
One pack or more per day
"
"
"
"
"
"
29
9. In the past 30 days, on how many occasions (if any) did you… 0
1–2
3–5
20
occasions
occasions
6–9 occasions
10–19
occasions
occasions
or more occasions
Have a drink of beer, wine, or hard liquor?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Have more than 5 drinks in a row?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Use marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Sniff glue, paint, or something you inhale to get high?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Use LSD, cocaine, amphetamines or other illegal drugs? Use over-the-counter or prescription drugs to get high?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Thank you!
30
APPENDIX 7: The Windsor Area Community Partnership Student Survey This survey is about health behavior. It has been developed so that you can tell us what you do that may affect your health. DO NOT write your name on the survey. The answers you give will be kept private. No one will know what you write. Answer the questions based on what you really do. Completing the survey is voluntary. Whether or not you answer the questions will not affect your grade in this class. The information you give will not be used to find out your name. No names will be reported. To show your answer, please fill in the circle completely, like this:
1. In what grade are you?
" "
6th 7th
!
2. Are you
" "
female male
FOR QUESTIONS ON THIS PAGE, DRINKING ALCOHOL DOES NOT INCLUDE DRINKING A FEW SIPS OF WINE FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES. 3. How wrong do your parents feel it would be for you to:
Drink beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin) regularly (at least twice a month)? Smoke cigarettes? Smoke marijuana?
Very wrong
Wrong
A little bit wrong
Not at all wrong
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
4. How much do you think people risk harming themselves (physically or in other ways) if they: No risk
Slight risk
Moderate risk
Great risk
Take one or two drinks of an alcoholic beverage (beer, wine, liquor) nearly every day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke one or more packs of cigarettes per day?
"
"
"
"
Smoke marijuana regularly?
"
"
"
"
31
THE NEXT QUESTIONS ASK ABOUT USING TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND OTHER DRUGS.
5. How old were you when you first: Never have
10 or younger
11
12
13
14
15 or older
Had more than one sip or two of beer, wine or hard liquor (for example, vodka, whiskey or gin)?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked a cigarette, even a puff?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Smoked marijuana?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
6. Cigarette use Not at all
Less than one cigarette per day
One to five cigarette s per day
About one-half pack per day
About one pack per day
One pack or more per day
"
"
"
"
"
"
How frequently have you smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days?
7. Alcohol and marijuana use 0
1–2
3–5
20
occasions
occasions
6–9 occasions
10–19
occasions
occasions
or more occasions
On how many occasions (if any) have you had beer, wine, or hard liquor during the past 30 days?
"
"
"
"
"
"
On how many occasions (if any) have you used marijuana during the past 30 days?
"
"
"
"
"
"
Thank you!
32
