Complete Health Indicator Report of Substance Abuse (Alcohol or Marijuana) - Adolescents
Definition
Students who reported using alcohol or marijuana during the past 30 days. Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) are from students in grades 9-12. Data from the Prevention Needs Assessment Survey (PNA) are from students in grades 8, 10, and 12.Numerator
Number of students who reported using alcohol or marijuana during the past 30 days.Denominator
All public school students in grades 9-12 (YRBS) or grades 8, 10, and 12 (PNA).Data Interpretation Issues
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a nationally standardized survey. The Prevention Needs Assessment Survey is a state sponsored survey. Both of these surveys are administered by the School Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) project and are conducted at the state level every odd-numbered year. Students complete a paper-and-pencil questionnaire during a class period. Students responses are anonymous. The standard and national YRBS questionnaires are available at [http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/yrbs/questionnaire_rationale.htm]. Information about the Prevention Needs Assessment survey can be found at [https://dsamh.utah.gov/sharp-survey].Why Is This Important?
According to the U.S. Public Health Service, "Health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of illness, death, and social problems among youth and adults often are established during youth, extend into adulthood, and are interrelated."^1^[[br]] [[br]] ---- 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ''Healthy People 2010.'' 2nd ed. With Understanding and Improving Health and Objectives for Improving Health. 2 vols. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, November 2000. P. 26-20.Healthy People Objective SA-13:
Reduce past-month use of illicit substancesU.S. Target: Not applicable, see subobjectives in this category
Other Objectives
Utah's 42 Community Health Indicators[[br]] [[br]] ====Healthy People Objective SA-13 subobjectives:==== *{{style color:#003366 SA-13.1:}} Reduce the proportion of adolescents reporting use of alcohol or any illicit drugs during the past 30 days[[br]] '''U.S. Target:''' 16.6 percent *{{style color:#003366 SA-13.2:}} Reduce the proportion of adolescents reporting use of marijuana during the past 30 days[[br]] '''U.S. Target:''' 6.0 percent[[br]] [[br]] ====Healthy People Objective SA-14.4:==== Reduce the proportion of persons engaging in binge drinking during the past month--adolescents aged 12 to 17 years[[br]] '''U.S. Target:''' 8.6 percentHow Are We Doing?
Alcohol (8.1%) and marijuana (7.8%) were the most commonly abused substances among adolescents in grades 9-12 in Utah, 2021 from the Youth Risk Behavior (YRBS) survey. SHARP data showed a rate of current alcohol use of 5.3% and a rate of current marijuana use of 5.9% Statewide in 2021 in grades 8, 10, and 12. In 2021,Southeast (9.3%), Summit County (8.7%), and Weber-Morgan (8.7%) Local Health Districts (LHDs) had significantly higher rates of current alcohol use than the state while Utah County (3.0%), and Davis County (4.3%) LHDs had lower rates. Also in 2021, Southeast (11.3%), Weber-Morgan (8.2%), and Salt Lake County (7.3%) LHDs had a significantly higher rate of current marijuana use than the state while Central (4.0%), and Utah County (3.7%) LHDs had lower rates.How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
Utah's reported use among high school students for current alcohol consumption in 2021 (8.1%) was lower than the U.S. rate (29.2%) in 2019. Utah's 2019 rate of reported use of marijuana in the past 30 days (7.8%) was also significantly lower than the U.S. rate (21.7%) in 2019. National YRBS data for 2021 is not yet available. Utah had the lowest reported rate of high school binge drinking (4.3%) among all 41 reporting states in 2019. Kansas had the highest rate (18.8%). The median for all states was 12.5% in 2019.What Is Being Done?
According to the U.S. Public Health Service, "Adopting a multicomponent approach to youth substance abuse prevention may increase the long-term effectiveness of prevention efforts. This approach includes focusing on mobilizing and leveraging resources, raising public awareness, and countering pro-use messages. Several strategies may be effective, such as increasing the involvement of parents and parent groups at the local level, increasing the number of adult volunteers involved in drug prevention at the local level, changing normative attitudes among youth from 'everyone's using drugs' to 'everyone has better things to do than drugs,' and increasing the proportion of youth participating in positive skill-building activities."^1^[[br]] [[br]] ---- 1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ''Healthy People 2010.'' 2nd ed. With Understanding and Improving Health and Objectives for Improving Health. 2 vols. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, November 2000. P. 26-29.Available Services
'''NATIONAL:'''[[br]] The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Drug and Treatment Referral Routing Service provides a toll-free telephone number for alcohol and drug information/treatment referral assistance. The number is: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). '''UTAH:'''[[br]] Edward G. Callister Foundation, Referral and Information Services: (801) 587-HOPE (4673) or toll free (866) 633-HOPE. The service is designed to provide referral and educational resources with respect to substance abuse. Mental health and substance abuse services in Utah are also provided through Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse programs and the State Hospital. The mission of the Utah Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health (DMH) is to assure that individuals with mental illness receive the treatment and services they need. DHM is only one partner in the Utah Public Mental Health System and oversees the local community mental health centers and the Utah State Hospital in Provo. For information about the Utah Public Mental Health System, call toll free: 877-585-1770. Utah Division of Mental Health[[br]] 120 North 200 West #415[[br]] Salt Lake City, Utah[[br]] Telephone: 801-538-9892Health Program Information
The Utah Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Abuse (DSA) is charged with providing drug and alcohol abuse prevention activities in Utah. Information on the DSA may be found on their website: [https://dsamh.utah.gov/]. The DSA administrative office may be reached at (801) 538-3939.Related Indicators
Related Relevant Population Characteristics Indicators:
Related Risk Factors Indicators:
Health Status Outcomes
While not all youth who abuse substances are necessarily at risk for suicide, youth who commit or attempt suicide are very commonly substance abusers.Related Health Status Outcomes Indicators:
Graphical Data Views
Percentage of Students Who Used an Illegal Substance on One or More of the Past 30 Days: Alcohol, Utah and U.S., 1991-2021
| Utah vs. U.S. | Year | Percentage of Youth | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 30 | ||||||
| Utah | 1991 | 26.6% | 22.8% | 30.4% | ||
| Utah | 1993 | 26.0% | 23.4% | 28.6% | ||
| Utah | 1995 | 22.4% | 18.6% | 26.2% | ||
| Utah | 1997 | 24.3% | 20.1% | 28.5% | ||
| Utah | 1999 | 22.7% | 17.8% | 27.6% | ||
| Utah | 2001 | 17.9% | 13.6% | 22.2% | ||
| Utah | 2003 | 21.3% | 17.0% | 25.6% | ||
| Utah | 2005 | 15.8% | 12.0% | 19.6% | ||
| Utah | 2007 | 17.0% | 13.5% | 21.1% | ||
| Utah | 2009 | 18.2% | 13.2% | 24.4% | ||
| Utah | 2011 | 15.1% | 12.3% | 18.3% | ||
| Utah | 2013 | 11.0% | 9.3% | 13.0% | ||
| Utah | 2017 | 10.6% | 8.1% | 13.7% | ||
| Utah | 2019 | 10.0% | 7.5% | 13.2% | ||
| Utah | 2021 | 8.1% | 6.1% | 10.8% | ||
| U.S. | 1991 | 50.8% | 47.4% | 54.2% | ||
| U.S. | 1993 | 48.0% | 45.9% | 50.1% | ||
| U.S. | 1995 | 51.6% | 49.3% | 53.9% | ||
| U.S. | 1997 | 50.8% | 48.0% | 53.6% | ||
| U.S. | 1999 | 50.0% | 47.5% | 52.5% | ||
| U.S. | 2001 | 47.1% | 45.0% | 49.2% | ||
| U.S. | 2003 | 44.9% | 42.5% | 47.3% | ||
| U.S. | 2005 | 43.3% | 40.6% | 46.0% | ||
| U.S. | 2007 | 44.7% | 42.4% | 47.0% | ||
| U.S. | 2009 | 41.8% | 40.2% | 43.4% | ||
| U.S. | 2011 | 38.7% | 37.2% | 40.3% | ||
| U.S. | 2013 | 34.9% | 32.8% | 37.1% | ||
| U.S. | 2015 | 32.8% | 30.4% | 35.2% | ||
| U.S. | 2017 | 29.8% | 27.3% | 32.4% | ||
| U.S. | 2019 | 29.2% | 27.3% | 31.2% | ||
Data Notes
High school students only. Alcohol use was defined as at least one drink of alcohol. Question text: During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink of alcohol?Data Sources
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention (CDC)
Illegal Substance on One or More of the Past 30 Days: Alcohol, Grades 8, 10, and 12 by Local Health District, Utah, 2021
| Local Health District | Percentage Reporting Alcohol Use (Grades 8, 10, 12) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 14 | ||||||
| Bear River | 4.0% | 2.7% | 5.8% | |||
| Central | 6.8% | 5.1% | 9.0% | |||
| Davis County | 4.3% | 3.2% | 5.7% | |||
| Salt Lake County | 6.2% | 5.1% | 7.6% | |||
| San Juan | 1.2% | 0.4% | 3.6% | |||
| Southeast | 9.3% | 6.6% | 13.0% | |||
| Southwest | 6.5% | 5.0% | 8.5% | |||
| Summit | 8.7% | 5.2% | 14.1% | |||
| Tooele | 6.0% | 5.0% | 7.1% | |||
| TriCounty | 7.8% | 5.5% | 11.1% | |||
| Utah County | 3.0% | 2.3% | 3.8% | |||
| Wasatch | 4.5% | 2.6% | 7.6% | |||
| Weber-Morgan | 8.7% | 6.2% | 12.1% | |||
| State of Utah | 5.3% | 4.8% | 5.9% | |||
Data Notes
Grades 8, 10 and 12. Alcohol use was defined as at least one drink of alcohol. Question text: On how many occasions (if any) have you had beer, wine, or hard liquor to drink during the past 30 days?Data Source
Prevention Needs Assessment SurveyPercentage of Students Who Used an Illegal Substance on One or More of the Past 30 Days: Marijuana, Utah and U.S., 1991-2021
| Utah vs. U.S. | Year | Percentage of Youth | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 30 | ||||||
| Utah | 1991 | 8.6% | 5.9% | 11.3% | ||
| Utah | 1993 | 7.4% | 6.2% | 8.6% | ||
| Utah | 1995 | 12.2% | 9.2% | 15.2% | ||
| Utah | 1997 | 12.3% | 9.4% | 15.2% | ||
| Utah | 1999 | 10.6% | 6.6% | 14.6% | ||
| Utah | 2001 | 9.7% | 7.7% | 11.7% | ||
| Utah | 2003 | 11.4% | 8.9% | 13.9% | ||
| Utah | 2005 | 7.6% | 5.3% | 9.9% | ||
| Utah | 2007 | 8.7% | 5.4% | 13.6% | ||
| Utah | 2009 | 10.0% | 7.3% | 13.6% | ||
| Utah | 2011 | 9.6% | 7.3% | 12.5% | ||
| Utah | 2013 | 7.6% | 6.1% | 9.3% | ||
| Utah | 2017 | 7.9% | 6.2% | 9.9% | ||
| Utah | 2019 | 10.0% | 7.4% | 13.4% | ||
| Utah | 2021 | 7.8% | 6.3% | 9.7% | ||
| U.S. | 1991 | 14.7% | 12.5% | 16.9% | ||
| U.S. | 1993 | 17.7% | 15.3% | 20.1% | ||
| U.S. | 1995 | 25.3% | 23.3% | 27.3% | ||
| U.S. | 1997 | 26.2% | 24.0% | 28.4% | ||
| U.S. | 1999 | 26.7% | 24.2% | 29.2% | ||
| U.S. | 2001 | 23.9% | 22.4% | 25.4% | ||
| U.S. | 2003 | 22.4% | 20.3% | 24.5% | ||
| U.S. | 2005 | 20.2% | 18.6% | 21.8% | ||
| U.S. | 2007 | 19.7% | 17.8% | 21.8% | ||
| U.S. | 2009 | 20.8% | 19.4% | 22.3% | ||
| U.S. | 2011 | 23.1% | 21.5% | 24.7% | ||
| U.S. | 2013 | 23.4% | 21.3% | 25.7% | ||
| U.S. | 2015 | 21.7% | 19.3% | 24.2% | ||
| U.S. | 2017 | 19.8% | 18.1% | 21.6% | ||
| U.S. | 2019 | 21.7% | 19.9% | 23.7% | ||
Data Notes
High school students only. Question text: During the past 30 days, how many times did you use marijuana?Data Sources
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention (CDC)
Illegal Substance on One or More of the Past 30 Days: Marijuana, Grades 8, 10 and 12 by Local Health District, Utah, 2021
| Local Health District | Percentage Reporting Marijuana Use (Grades 8, 10, 12) | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 14 | ||||||
| Bear River | 4.5% | 3.3% | 5.9% | |||
| Central | 4.0% | 2.7% | 5.9% | |||
| Davis County | 5.3% | 4.3% | 6.5% | |||
| Salt Lake County | 7.2% | 6.0% | 8.7% | |||
| San Juan | 2.3% | 0.3% | 14.4% | |||
| Southeast | 11.3% | 8.6% | 14.6% | |||
| Southwest | 6.4% | 4.6% | 8.8% | |||
| Summit | 8.6% | 4.7% | 15.4% | |||
| Tooele | 5.6% | 4.6% | 6.7% | |||
| TriCounty | 7.9% | 5.4% | 11.5% | |||
| Utah County | 3.7% | 3.0% | 4.4% | |||
| Wasatch | 5.4% | 4.5% | 6.5% | |||
| Weber-Morgan | 8.2% | 6.3% | 10.6% | |||
| State of Utah | 5.9% | 5.4% | 6.4% | |||
Data Notes
Grades 8, 10 and 12. Question text: On how many occasions (if any) have you used marijuana (grass, pot) or hashish (hash, hash oil) during the past 30 days?Data Source
Prevention Needs Assessment SurveyPercentage of High School Students Who Reported Binge Drinking During the Past 30 Days by State, 2019
| States | Percentage of Youth | Lower Limit | Upper Limit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record Count: 42 | ||||||
| Alabama | 10.0% | 7.9% | 12.5% | |||
| Alaska | 13.1% | 11.3% | 15.0% | |||
| Arizona | 14.7% | 11.0% | 19.3% | |||
| Arkansas | 12.2% | 9.2% | 15.9% | |||
| California | 7.1% | 5.7% | 8.9% | |||
| Colorado | 13.1% | 10.7% | 15.8% | |||
| Connecticut | 12.9% | 10.5% | 15.8% | |||
| Florida | 12.4% | 11.0% | 14.0% | |||
| Georgia | 6.2% | 4.5% | 8.3% | |||
| Hawaii | 10.9% | 9.2% | 12.9% | |||
| Idaho | 15.9% | 13.5% | 18.6% | |||
| Illinois | 10.1% | 8.2% | 12.4% | |||
| Iowa | 11.2% | 8.4% | 14.7% | |||
| Kansas | 18.8% | 15.6% | 22.5% | |||
| Kentucky | 10.3% | 8.5% | 12.4% | |||
| Louisiana | 10.7% | 7.0% | 16.0% | |||
| Maryland | 12.0% | 11.2% | 12.8% | |||
| Massachucetts | 15.0% | 12.4% | 18.2% | |||
| Michigan | 11.2% | 9.3% | 13.4% | |||
| Mississippi | 10.1% | 7.8% | 13.0% | |||
| Missouri | 15.2% | 11.9% | 19.2% | |||
| Montana | 17.5% | 15.9% | 19.3% | |||
| Nebraska | 8.2% | 6.2% | 10.6% | |||
| Nevada | 13.3% | 11.3% | 15.6% | |||
| New Hampshire | 14.4% | 13.6% | 15.4% | |||
| New Jersey | 15.3% | 11.8% | 19.7% | |||
| New Mexico | 12.1% | 10.5% | 13.9% | |||
| New York | 12.7% | 10.8% | 14.9% | |||
| North Carolina | 12.5% | 10.7% | 14.5% | |||
| North Dakota | 15.6% | 13.8% | 17.7% | |||
| Ohio | 13.4% | 11.4% | 15.7% | |||
| Oklahoma | 13.2% | 1.5% | 16.4% | |||
| Pennsylvania | 11.2% | 9.4% | 13.4% | |||
| Rhode Island | 10.7% | 8.0% | 14.3% | |||
| South Carolina | 9.2% | 6.6% | 12.7% | |||
| South Dakota | 14.9% | 11.4% | 19.3% | |||
| Tennessee | 8.8% | 6.5% | 11.8% | |||
| Texas | 11.5% | 9.6% | 13.7% | |||
| Utah | 4.3% | 2.8% | 6.4% | |||
| Vermont | 15.2% | 14.6% | 15.7% | |||
| Virginia | 12.7% | 11.2% | 14.3% | |||
| West Virginia | 16.4% | 12.5% | 21.1% | |||
Data Notes
The 2019 YRBS was conducted in 46 states, though not all states were able to receive weighted data. 41 states reported data for binge drinking in 2019.Data Sources
- Utah Department of Health and Human Services Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
- Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control, and Prevention (CDC)
References and Community Resources
More information on the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System may be found on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - [https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm] More information on drug abuse dangers, treatment, and information sheets on abused drugs is available on the website of the National Institute of Drug Abuse - [http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDAHome.html]More Resources and Links
Additional indicator data by state and county may be found on these websites:- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER database, a system for disseminating public health data and information.
- United States Census Bureau data dashboard.
- Utah Healthy Places Index, evidence-based and peer-reviewed tool, supports efforts to prioritize equitable community investments, develop critical programs and policies across the state, and much more.
- County Health Rankings
- Kaiser Family Foundation's State Health Facts
Medical literature can be queried at PubMed library.
Page Content Updated On 10/20/2022,
Published on 12/20/2022