Risky youth behavior trending positively
By Cole Boehler
Statistics that track risky youth behavior continue to trend in a positive direction, with large reductions in the conduct being reported since 1997, according to the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, prepared by the Montana Office of Public Instruction.
The same positive trends characterize youth tobacco use.
While it is generally acknowledged the numbers must come down further still, the substantial progress made is far less widely publicized or recognized.
The survey also examined physical threats, violence or intimidation; illegal drugs abuse; sexual activity and general health and diet.
The survey found, for example, that youths reporting having ridden during the last 30 days in a car driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol had declined from 46.6 percent in 1997 to 28.8 percent in 2009, about a 30 percent reduction.
And youths reporting having driven a car themselves when they had been drinking during the past 30 days declined from 26.7 percent in 1997 to 13.5 percent in 2009—a 50 percent reduction.
Those who said they have had at least one alcoholic drink during their lifetimes decreased to 75.7 percent in 2009 from 84.3 percent in 1997.
Youths who reported having their first drink of alcohol before the age 13 declined from 38.8 percent in 1997 to 24 percent in 2009, while those who reported having at least one drink in the last 30 days declined from 59 percent in 1997 to 42.8 percent in 2009.
The survey defines "binge drinking" as having had "five or more drinks in a row." Those who reported binge drinking during the last 30 days declined to 30.1 percent in 2009 from 44.1 percent in 1997.
Another item on the survey, just added in 2007, probed about where the youth obtained alcohol. The survey reported 37.9 percent of "current users" in 2009 had "gotten alcohol by someone giving it to them compared to 38.9 percent in 2007, a too little differential and time-span to have any real statistical significance.
If researchers were trying to determine the source of illegal youth alcohol, this inquiry likely missed the mark due to the use of the word "gave." It is more likely the case that youth are paying others they know to obtain the alcohol for them. Of course, other studies have found a small percentage of youth buy alcohol illegally from retail outlets, too.
In 1997, 8.4 percent of those surveyed said they had a drink of alcohol on school property, compared to 5.1 percent who said they did so in 2009.
Smoking numbers are down even more substantially than drinking with responses indicating smoking incidents between 1997 and 2009 declined mostly in the one-third to one-half range, and up to two-thirds in some specific cases.
Marijuana usage seems to be holding steady while use of other illegal drug appears to be down marginally, except in the reported use of methamphetamine, which is shown to be down from 13.5 percent in 1999 to 3.1 in 2009.
Seat belt usage is up significantly, and those reporting having carried a weapon on school grounds is down by 30 percent.
Levels of sexual activity also appear to be holding steady, except birth control appears to be used more frequently. In 2009, 47.6 percent of youth report they have had intercourse, and 32.2 percent have had intercourse during the last three months.
Youth are somewhat more conscious of their body weight, and obesity as measured went from 6.2 percent in 1999 to 10.4 percent in 2009. Dietary habits haven't changed markedly with the exception of milk consumption with those reporting consuming three or more glasses a day for the past seven days declining from 27.1 percent in 1999 to 18.8 percent in 2009.
The survey indicates physical activity is increasing, but television hours watched has remained steady, with 23.7 percent reporting they watch three or more hours per day. The complete survey may be obtained on-line at <www.opi.mt.gov/YRBS>.
Editor's note – Surprisingly the study does not really seek answers to questions regarding youth access to alcohol, specifically how many of them purchase it face-to-face from a retailer, how many use fake identifications, how many steal it or how many simply have of-age friends or family purchase it for them.