NCJ Number
218184
Date Published
April 2007
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This report examines the relationships among past year youth activities, past month substance abuse, and family income among youths aged 12 to 17 years.
Abstract
Youths who did not participate in any activities had higher rates of cigarette and illicit drug use than those who participated in four or more activities, regardless of family income. During 2005, most youths participated in at least one activity during the past year. Most youth (82 percent) participated in at least one school-based activity, while 71.9 percent participated in at least one community-based activity, 64.1 percent participated in at least one church- or faith-based activity, and 42.7 percent participated in at least one other type of activity. One-third (33.9 percent) of youths aged 12 to 17 participated in seven or more activities during the past year while 27.1 percent of youths participated in one to three activities. Females and youths aged 12 to 13 years were more likely than males or older youths to participate in multiple activities. Youths who participated in a greater number of past year activities were least likely to have used cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs compared with youths who participated in fewer past year activities. Among youths who participated in any activities, those with higher income families experienced the most consistent pattern of decreased rates of past month cigarette, alcohol, and illicit drug use with increasing numbers of activities. The relationship among substance use and number of activities was less consistent among youths with lower family incomes. These findings were based on the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), a survey that probes past-year school-based, community-based, church- or faith-based, and other activities and substance use among 12- to 17-year-old youth in the United States. Table, figures, endnotes