Cambridge Teen Health Survey 2006 How Providers Can make Use of Cambridge Chuck Klevgaard Cambridge Prevention Coalition

What agency / organization ? How do you currently use data Health Survey / Other data ? What would you like to know ?

Why Use Existing Data It is less expensive and time-consuming than generating new data. Generating new data typically requires specialized research skills, as well as a lengthy process of instrument identification or design, participant recruitment, pilot testing, data collection, data analysis, and summarization.

Why Use Existing Data It prevents you from duplicating efforts. Finding out about information that has already been collected by others, or would add little to what is already known about the problem (s) of interest, will help you maximize your limited time and resources.

Why Use Existing Data It puts you in contact with potential partners. Many individuals and organizations share your goals and will appreciate your investment in learning from their hard work. You may even establish connections with partners who can assist you with future needs assessment efforts or in the selection and implementation of your prevention activities.

Methods Who Conducted the Survey? The Cambridge Public Schools, The Cambridge Prevention Coalition, The Cambridge Public Health Department and The Institute for Community Health How and When was The Survey Conducted? The survey was administered as a questionnaire in March of 2005 to all Cambridge public school students in grades 6 through 8. The survey was administered in four languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole.

Methods Who Responded ? The total number of respondents was 1,180. The number of respondents in each grade is as follows: 6 th = 380, 7 th = 387, 8 th = 406, unknown = 7. What Did The Survey Ask About ? Background characteristics such as gender, age, and grade level. Student use of and perceptions about alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Other related health issues such as mental health, violence and safety, sexual issues, dietary behavior, and physical activity.

Caveats Validity Non-Respondents Trends Comparative Data Who Has The Problem ? Who has The Responsibility ?

Substance Abuse

Current* Substance Use for Cambridge Middle Grades Students (2005) *Current use is any use in the 30 days prior to the survey. **Binge alcohol use is defined in the survey as having “five or more drinks of alcohol in a row.” ***Respondents were asked “How many times in the last 30 days, if any, did you use Oxycontin (Oxy or OC) without a doctor’s prescription?” ****Other Drugs includes such substances as cocaine, crack, LSD, speed, heroin, and downers.” Of Those who drank in the last 30 days, 35% report binge drinking at least once. 6% report binge drinking 6 or more times in the last 30 days Of Those who drank in the last 30 days, 35% report binge drinking at least once. 6% report binge drinking 6 or more times in the last 30 days

Current* Substance Use for National 8 th Grade Students (2004)** and Cambridge 8 th Grade Students (2005) * Current use is any use in the 30 days prior to the survey. ** National 8th grade data from the 2004 Monitoring the Future Survey, National Institute of Drug Abuse

Current* Substance Use for Cambridge Middle Grades Students (2005) *Current use is any use in the 30 days prior to the survey. **Binge alcohol use is defined in the survey as having “five or more drinks of alcohol in a row.” ***Respondents were asked “How many times in the last 30 days, if any, did you use Oxycontin (Oxy or OC) without a doctor’s prescription?” ****Other Drugs includes such substances as cocaine, crack, LSD, speed, heroin, and downers.”

Trends in Current* Substance Use for Cambridge Middle Grades Students (’97, ’99, ’01, ’03, ’05)

* Current use is any use in the 30 days prior to the survey.

Trends in Current Substance Use for National 8 th Grade Students ( )

Trends in Perception of Harm* of Substance Use Cambridge Middle Grades Students (’97, ’99, ’01, ’03, ’05) * Percent saying “moderate or great harm of using each substance occasionally

Percent of Cambridge Middle Grades Students Who Talked with their Parents About AOD Use In the Past 12 Months(’97, ’99, ’01, ’03, ’05)

Lifetime* Substance Use for Cambridge High School Students, by Grade (2006) *Lifetime use is any use in one’s lifetime. **Respondents were asked about their use of “any drug other than alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes, or inhalants.”

Current* Substance Use for Cambridge High School Students (2006) *Current use is any use in the 30 days prior to the survey. **Binge alcohol use is defined in the survey as having “five or more drinks of alcohol in a row.” ***Other Psychedelics includes such substances as mescaline, peyote, psilocybin, PCP, Ecstasy, mushrooms, and MDMA. ****Other Narcotics includes such substances as methadone, opium, morphine, codeine, Demerol, and paregoric.

Current* Substance Use for Massachusetts** (2003, 2005) and Cambridge (2004, 2006) High School Students *Current use is any use in the 30 days prior to the survey. ** Massachusetts data from the 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the MA Department of Education (Spring 2005). ***Binge alcohol use is defined in the survey as having “five or more drinks of alcohol in a row.”

If you were a youth sports program, what would you want to know about this ?

Alcohol and Other Drug Related Issues Among Cambridge High School Students (2004, 2006)

Violence and Safety

Percent of Cambridge High School Students Who Reported Violence-Related Experiences in the Past 12 Months (2004, 2006) If you were a neighborhood association, what would you want to know about this ?

Percent of Cambridge High School Students Who Reported Fighting, Being Threatened, or Bullied in the Past 12 Months (2004, 2006) N/A

Sexual Behavior

Percent of Cambridge Middle Grades Students Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse, Total and by Grade (2005)

Percent of Cambridge Middle Grades Students Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse. ( )

Percent of Massachusetts* (’03, ‘05) and Cambridge (’04, ‘06) High School Students Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse, Total and by Grade *Massachusetts data from the 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the MA Department of Education (Spring 2005). If you were a teen pregnancy program, what would you want to know about this ?

Of Those Cambridge High School Students Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse, Age at First Intercourse (2006)

Of Those Massachusetts* (2005) and Cambridge (2006) High School Students Who Have Ever Had Sexual Intercourse, Percent Who Used a Condom the Last Time, Total and by Grade *Massachusetts data from the 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the MA Department of Education (Spring 2005).

Mental Health

Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation/Behavior in the Past 12 Months Among MA* (2003, 2005) and Cambridge (2004, 2006) High School Students *Massachusetts data from the 2005 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey conducted by the MA Department of Education (Spring ’03 and ‘05). **Item asked “During the past 12 months, did you hurt yourself on purpose (for instance, cut yourself, burn yourself, or bang your head on purpose)?” N/A

Percent of Cambridge Middle Grades Students Reporting Potential Protective Factors (2003, 2005)

Cambridge Middle Grade Health Survey 2005 Teen Health Survey 2006 How To Use The Data Chuck Klevgaard Cambridge Prevention Coalition

How To Use The Data In Context for Your Setting Needs Assessment Grant Writing Program Evaluation

View From The Classroom

School Issues and Substance Use Cambridge Middle School 2005 Current Use in the Last 30 Days Mostly A’s % B’s Mostly C’s Mostly D’s & F’s Alcohol 17%26%33% Cigarettes 2%8%21% Marijuana 4%13%28%

School Issues and Substance Use Cambridge Middle School 2005 Current Use in the Last 30 Days Did Not Skip or Cut Skipped or Cut School Alcohol 16%48% Cigarettes 3%16% Marijuana 6%17%

Cross Tab Examples

Middle Grade Health Education

Perception of Harm and Substance Use Cambridge Middle School 2005 Current Use in the Last 30 Days Report “ No Harm” or “Slight Harm” of Occasional Use Report “Moderate Harm” or Great Harm” of Occasional Use Alcohol 26%15% Cigarettes 8%2% Marijuana 14%4%

Transition Programs for New Families

Moving and Substance Use Cambridge Middle School 2005 Current Use in the Last 30 Days Did Not Report Moving in The Last 12 Months Reported Moving in the Last 12 Months Alcohol 18%24% Cigarettes 3%6% Marijuana 6%10%

School Climate Initiatives

Presence of a Teacher or Other School Adult and Substance Use Cambridge Middle School 2005 Current Use in the Last 30 Days Have a School Adult Do Not Have a School Adult Alcohol 17%25% Cigarettes 3%7% Marijuana 6%11%