nova scotia student drug use survey 2007. methods anonymous confidential self-reported survey...
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Nova Scotia Student Drug Use Survey2007
Methods• Anonymous confidential self-reported survey
• Approved by Ethics Review Board
• Students in grades 7, 9, 10 & 12
• Average age of respondents 15.1 years
• Total sample in NS NB NL PE = 17,545
• Sample in NS = 4,486
Past year substance use 2007• In 2007, 42% of students reported that during the 12 months before the survey they had not used any of the 13 substances asked about in the survey.
• 12.5% of students indicated they had used all of the three most common substances (alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes) during the course of a year.
Past year substance useNova Scotia 1996 - 2007Grades 7, 9, 10 & 12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Alcohol
Cannabis
Cigarettes
Psilocybin or Mescaline
LSDAm
phetamine Non-m
edical
Methylphenidate Non-m
edical
Inhalants
MDM
A
Tranquillizers Non-medical
Cocaine
Steroids Non-medical
PCPO
piates
1996
1998
2002
2007
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Alcohol • Alcohol continues to be the most commonly used drug by students in this province.
• 52% of students reported using alcohol in the year prior to the survey (comparable to other years)
• 28% of students consumes 5+ drinks at a sitting on at least one occasion in the month prior to the survey
• 14% of students with a driver’s license engaged in alcohol-driving on at least one occasion during the year.
Alcohol Past year use among NS students1996 - 2007
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Pre
va
len
ce
(%
)
Any alcohol use Past year
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 7 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Five + drinks in one sitting Past month
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 7 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Drove within 1 hour of drinking alcohol among licensed drivers, students in grades 10 & 12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Male Female Grade 10 Grade 12
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Alcohol Past year prevalence of alcohol-related problems among NS students
Cannabis
• Cannabis is the 2nd most commonly used substance by adolescent students.
• There has been a decrease in use from 38% in 2002 to 32% in 2007.
• 23% of students drove after using cannabis on at least one occasion during the year.
Cannabis Past year use among NS students1996 - 2007
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Pre
va
len
ce
(%
)
Drove within 1 hour of using cannabis among licensed drivers, students in grades 10 & 12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Male Female Grade 10 Grade 12
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Drugs Past year prevalence of drug-related problems among NS students
Cigarette Smoking
• The most marked change from 2002 to 2007 was a decrease in the percentage of students who smoked cigarettes, down 23% to 16%.
• Cigarettes was the 3rd most commonly used substance.
Cigarette smoking Past year smoking among NS students 1996 - 2007
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Pre
va
len
ce
(%
)
MDMA (Ecstasy)
• There has been a small upward trend in the prevalence of Ecstasy use from 4.5% in 2002 to 7.0% in 2007.
MDMA (ecstasy) Past year use among NS students2002 - 2007
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Pre
va
len
ce
(%
)
Gambling • In 2007, 60% of students in Nova Scotia gambled.– Rates of student participation for gambling activities measured in 2002 and 2007 are essentially the same.
• Most common gambling activity was scratch tabs
• Internet gambling was introduced in the 2007 survey– 5% of students played for money– 26% played for points or play money
• 3% of students engaged in at-risk gambling behaviour, 2% in problem gambling behaviour
Participation in gambling for money Past year
0 20 40 60 80 100
Scratch tabs
Played cards for money
Betting on sports activities
Break opens
Played Bingo for money
Lottery other than Sports Select
Sports Select Lottery
Video lottery terminals
Internet gambling for money
Prevalence (%)
Female
Male
Past year Internet gambling for …
Money
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 7 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Points
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 7 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Problem gamblingPast year
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Overall Male Female
Problem gambling
At-risk gambling
Gambling no problem
No gambling
Mental Health • Depressive Symptoms
– 6% of students scored as having “very elevated” symptoms (21% - “somewhat elevated”)
– Females were about twice as likely to report elevated depressive symptoms than males
• 2007 rates for positive ADHD symptoms, and utilization of medication, are essentially the same as in 2002
• More than twice as many males than females reported they were taking medical stimulants (30 days prior to survey)
Elevated depressive symptomsPast 7 days
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Overall Male Female Grade 7 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Indeterminate
Very elevated
Somewhat elevated
Minimally elevated
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity DisorderPast 6 months
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 7 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Past month medical use of amphetamine or methylphenidateaccording to gender & ADHD screening test
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall ADHD negative ADHD positive
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Sexual Behaviours • In 2007, 35% of students indicated that they had intercourse in the course of the year.
• Of those who had intercourse, 33% had unplanned sex after using drugs or alcohol.
• 61% of students who had ever had intercourse, indicated they used a condom at the time of their most recent sexual intercourse
Vaginal or anal sexPast yearGrades 9, 10 & 12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Unplanned sex after alcohol or drugsAmong students who had sex in past yearGrades 9, 10 & 12
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Used a condom or latex barrier at most recent sexual intercourseAmong students in grades 9, 10 & 12 who ever had sex
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Overall Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 12
Male
Female
Pre
vale
nce
(%)
Recommendations
• Findings from the 2007 Atlantic Student Drug Use survey should be communicated to key stakeholders throughout Atlantic Canada
2. Parents/caregivers, schools, communities, and government should continue to support students in making healthy, less harmful decisions about substance use and gambling.
3. Addiction Services in the respective District Health Authorities should continue to build upon intersectoral collaboration to enhance prevention activities
Recommendations
4. Addiction Services in the respective District Health Authorities should continue to build upon intersectoral collaboration to develop intervention and treatment strategies to assist students who are harmfully involved with substance use and/or gambling
5. Standardized Student Drug Use Survey should be repeated in the Atlantic Provinces every three years
6. Assess substance use and gambling related problems among at-risk/marginalized youth not represented in the Student Drug Use survey