NCJ Number
205463
Date Published
December 2003
Length
107 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of the 2003 statewide Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), administered to 7,983 middle and high school students in Florida.
Abstract
The FYSAS strives to not only measure prevalence of use, but also to determine levels of risk and identify protective factors. Section 1 describes the survey methodology, which was based on a stratified, 2-stage cluster sample of students attending 70 middle schools, 72 high schools, and 1 middle/high school in Florida. Section 2 describes student’s reported use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, which was measured by a set of 41 items. Past-30-day use of cigarettes was reported by 11.5 percent of students, a 6.9 percent decrease from the 2000 survey results. Ecstasy use also declined from 3.9 percent in 2001 to 2.1 percent in 2003. Alcohol had an overall prevalence rate of 55.1 percent for lifetime use and 30.9 percent for past-30-day use, making alcohol the most commonly used drug among Florida’s youth. Marijuana use increased, with 18.7 percent of youth reporting past-30-day use in 2003. Section 3 describes the prevalence of eight other problem behaviors measured by the FYSAS: carrying a handgun, selling drugs, attempting to steal a vehicle, being arrested, taking a handgun to school, getting suspended, attacking someone with intent to harm, and being drink or high at school. In brief, 4.1 percent of students reported carrying a handgun in the past year; 5.7 percent sold illegal drugs; 3.1 percent stole or attempted to steal a vehicle; 5.8 percent were arrested; 1.3 percent brought a handgun to school; 14.9 percent were suspended; 12.2 percent attacked someone; and 13.3 percent of students reported being drunk or high at school in the past year. Section 4 describes the risk and protective factors identified by the 2003 FYSAS. The four most effective protective factors were identified as social skills, religiosity, family opportunities for prosocial involvement, and family rewards for prosocial involvement. The four highest risk factors were identified as personal transitions and mobility, low neighborhood attachment, friends’ delinquent behavior, and favorable attitudes toward antisocial behavior. Section 5 reports on selected special topics, such as the age of onset of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use and attitudes toward ATOD use, such as perceived risk of harm, personal disapproval, and peer approval. Appendix, references