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Heroin Use Higher Among Hispanic Students: drugs, sex, life-style among students and ethnic disparities
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However, Hispanic Students Not Showing Progress in Some Key Areas
Version en espanol
Today's high school students are less likely to engage in many health risk behaviors than high school students in the early 1990s, according to the 2007 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Although the study documents substantial improvements over time in many health risk behaviors among all high school students, Hispanic students remain at greater risk for certain health related behaviors and have not matched the progress made over time by black students and white students in reducing some sexual risk behaviors.
"We are pleased that more high school students today are doing things that will help them stay healthy and avoiding things that put their health in danger. Unfortunately we are not seeing that same progress among Hispanic teens for certain risk factors," said Howell Wechsler, Ed.D., MPH, director of CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health.
An analysis of trends from YRBS on sexual risk behaviors found the following:
Significant decreases occurred overall in the percentage of black students who had ever had sexual intercourse (66 percent in 2007; 82 percent in 1991); and who had sex with four or more people during their lifetime (28 percent in 2007; 43 percent in 1991.)
Significant decreases also occurred in the percentage of white students who had ever had sexual intercourse - 44 percent in 2007; 50 percent in 1991; and who had sex with four or more people during their lifetime - 12 percent in 2007; 15 percent in 1991.
No significant change occurred in the percentage of Hispanic high school students who had ever had sexual intercourse (52 percent in 2007; 53 percent in 1991); and who had sex with four or more persons during their life (17 percent in both 2007 and 1991)
The percentage of high school students who were taught about HIV/AIDS in school did not change significantly among Hispanics (85 percent in 2007; 82 percent in 1991), but did increase during 1991-2007 among black students (90 percent in 2007: 84 percent in 1991) and white students (91 percent in 2007; 83 percent in 1991.)
Alcohol and Other Drug Use
Overall, the prevalence of lifetime alcohol use was higher among white (76.1%) and Hispanic (77.9%) than black (69.1%) students; higher among white female (76.4%) and Hispanic female (79.3%) than black female (70.0%) students; and higher among white male (75.8%) and Hispanic male (76.5%) than black male (68.4%) students.
Current Alcohol Use
Overall, the prevalence of current alcohol use was higher among white (47.3%) and Hispanic (47.6%) than black (34.5%) students; higher among white female (47.1%) and Hispanic female (47.5%) than black female (34.9%) students; and higher among white male (47.4%) and Hispanic male (47.7%) than black male (34.1%) students.
Episodic Heavy Drinking
Overall, the prevalence of episodic heavy drinking was higher among white (29.8%) and Hispanic (26.8%) than black (12.5%) students; higher among white female (27.9%) and Hispanic female (25.3%) than black female (10.7%) students; and higher among white male (31.8%) and Hispanic male (28.3%) than black male (14.5%) students.
Lifetime Marijuana Use
Nationwide, 38.1% of students had used marijuana one or more times during their life (i.e., lifetime marijuana use) (Table 39). Overall, the prevalence of lifetime marijuana use was higher among male (41.6%) than female (34.5%) students; higher among white male (41.8%), black male (44.5%), and Hispanic male (42.0%) than white female (34.1%), black female (35.0%), and Hispanic female (35.9%) students, respectively;
Current Marijuana Use
Nationwide, 19.7% of students had used marijuana one or more times during the 30 days before the survey
The prevalence of current marijuana use was higher among black male (26.0%) than Hispanic male (20.5%) students.
Lifetime Cocaine Use
Nationwide, 7.2% of students had used any form of cocaine (e.g., powder, crack,** or freebase) one or more times during their life (i.e., lifetime cocaine use)
Overall, the prevalence of lifetime cocaine use was higher among white (7.4%) than black (1.8%) students; higher among Hispanic (10.9%) than white (7.4%) and black (1.8%) students; higher among white female (6.9%) than black female (0.9%) students; higher among Hispanic female (10.2%) than white female (6.9%) and black female (0.9%) students; and higher among white male (7.9%) and Hispanic male (11.5%) than black male (2.8%) students.
Current Cocaine Use
Nationwide, 3.3% of students had used any form of cocaine (e.g., powder, crack, or freebase) one or more times during the 30 days before the survey (i.e., current cocaine use)
Overall, the prevalence of current cocaine use was higher among white (3.0%) than black (1.1%) students; higher among Hispanic (5.3%) than white (3.0%) and black (1.1%) students; higher among white female (2.6%) and Hispanic female (3.9%) than black female (0.5%) students; higher among white male (3.4%) than black male (1.7%) students; and higher among Hispanic male (6.7%) than white male (3.4%) and black male (1.7%) students. Overall, the prevalence of current cocaine use was higher among 12th-grade (4.4%) than 9th-grade (2.7%) and 11th-grade (2.9%) students and higher among 12th-grade male (6.0%) than 9th-grade male (3.0%), 10th-grade male (3.7%), and 11th-grade male (3.5%) students.
Lifetime Heroin Use
Nationwide, 2.3% of students had used heroin (also called "smack," "junk," or "China White") one or more times during their life (i.e., lifetime heroin use)
Overall, the prevalence of lifetime heroin use was higher among Hispanic (3.7%) than white (1.7%) and black (1.8%)students; higher among Hispanic female (3.3%) than white female (1.3%) and black female (0.7%) students; and higher among Hispanic male (4.0%) than white male (2.1%) students.
Ever Had Sexual Intercourse
Overall, the prevalence of having had sexual intercourse was higher among black (66.5%) and Hispanic (52.0%) than white (43.7%) students; higher among black (66.5%) than Hispanic (52.0%) students; higher among black female (60.9%) than white female (43.7%) and Hispanic female (45.8%) students; higher among black male (72.6%) and Hispanic male (58.2%) than white male (43.6%) students; and higher among black male (72.6%) than Hispanic male (58.2%) students.
Had First Sexual Intercourse Before Age 13 Years
Nationwide, 7.1% of students had had sexual intercourse for the first time before age 13 years
Overall, the prevalence of having had sexual intercourse before age 13 years was higher among male (10.1%) than female (4.0%) students; higher among white male (5.7%), black male (26.2%), and Hispanic male (11.9%) than white female (3.1%), black female (6.9%), and Hispanic female (4.5%) students, respectively;
Had Sexual Intercourse with Four or More Persons During Their Life
Nationwide, 14.9% of students had had sexual intercourse with four or more persons during their life
Overall, the prevalence of having had sexual intercourse with four or more persons was higher among black (27.6%) and Hispanic (17.3%) than white (11.5%) students; higher among black (27.6%) than Hispanic (17.3%) students; higher among black female (18.1%) than white female (10.6%) and Hispanic female (11.3%) students; higher among black male (37.6%) and Hispanic male (23.3%) than white male (12.2%) students; and higher among black male (37.6%) than Hispanic male (23.3%) students.
Currently Sexually Active
Nationwide, 35.0% of students had had sexual intercourse with at least one person during the 3 months before the survey (i.e., currently sexually active)
Overall, the prevalence of being currently sexually active was higher among black (46.0%) and Hispanic (37.4%) than white (32.9%) students; higher among black (46.0%) than Hispanic (37.4%) students; higher among black female (43.5%) than white female (35.1%) and Hispanic female (35.3%) students; higher among black male (48.7%) and Hispanic male (39.6%) than white male (30.6%) students; and higher among black male (48.7%) than Hispanic male (39.6%) students.
Condom Use
Among the 35.0% of currently sexually active students nationwide, 61.5% reported that either they or their partner had used a condom during last sexual intercourse
Overall, the prevalence of having used a condom during last sexual intercourse was higher among male (68.5%) than female (54.9%) students; higher among white male (66.4%), black male (74.0%), and Hispanic male (69.9%) than white female (53.9%), black female (60.1%), and Hispanic female (52.1%) students, respectively
Were Taught in School About AIDS or HIV Infection
Overall, the prevalence of having been taught in school about AIDS or HIV infection was higher among white (91.1%) and black (90.3%) than Hispanic (85.0%) students; higher among white female (91.7%) and black female (91.8%) than Hispanic female (84.8%) students; and higher among white male (90.5%) and black male (88.8%) than Hispanic male (85.1%) students.
Tested for HIV
Nationwide, 12.9% of students had been tested for HIV, not counting tests done when donating blood
Overall, the prevalence of HIV testing was higher among black (22.4%) than white (10.7%) and Hispanic (12.7%) students; higher among black female (27.2%) than white female (12.0%) and Hispanic female (13.8%) students; and higher among black male (17.3%) than white male (9.4%) and Hispanic male (11.5%) students.
Lifetime Illegal Injection-Drug Use
Overall, the prevalence of lifetime illegal injection-drug use was higher among Hispanic (3.1%) than white (1.5%) and black (1.8%) students; higher among Hispanic female (2.5%) than white female (1.1%) and black female (0.8%) students; and higher among Hispanic male (3.6%) than white male (2.0%) students.
Lifetime Inhalant Use
Overall, the prevalence of lifetime inhalant use was higher among white (14.4%) and Hispanic (14.1%) than black (8.5%) students; higher among white female (15.6%) and Hispanic female (15.5%) than black female (7.9%) students; and higher among white male (13.1%) than black male (9.2%) students.
The 2007 National YRBS found that Hispanic students were more likely than either black students or white students to attempt suicide, use cocaine, heroin or ecstasy, ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol, or go 24 hours or more without eating in an effort to lose weight. Hispanic students were also more likely than both black students and white students to say they did not go to school on occasion because of safety concerns, were offered or sold illegal drugs on school property or drank alcohol on school property.
There were, however, some positive findings concerning Hispanic students. Compared with Hispanic high school students in the 1990s, Hispanic students in 2007 were more likely to wear a seat belt at least some of the time and to use condoms during their most recent sexual intercourse and less likely to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol, use drugs such as marijuana and methamphetamines, or ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.
National, state and local YRBS studies are conducted every two years among high school students throughout the United States. These surveys monitor health risk behaviors that lead to unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco, alcohol and other drug use; and sexual behaviors that can lead to unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection. The surveys also monitor high school students' dietary behaviors, physical inactivity, and the prevalence of obesity and asthma.
More than 14,000 U.S. high school students participated in the 2007 National YRBS. Data are presented only for black, Hispanic and white students because the sample size of students from other racial/ethnic populations was too small for a meaningful analysis. Parental permission was obtained for students to participate in the survey. Student participation was voluntary, and responses were anonymous. States and cities could modify the questionnaire to meet their needs. The 2007 report includes national data and data from surveys conducted in 39 states and 22 large urban school districts.
The National YRBS is one of three HHS-sponsored surveys that provide data on substance abuse among youth. The others are the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and a primary source of statistics on substance use among Americans age 12 and over (www.oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda.htm), and the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research (http://monitoringthefuture.org). MTF tracks substance use among students in the 8th, 10th and 12th grades.
The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data are available at www.cdc.gov/yrbs.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
Source reference:
Eaton D, et al "Youth risk behavior surveillance -- United States, 2007," MMWR
Surveillance Summaries 2008; 57:1-131.
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