Risk. Factors. Children and Adolescent Substance Use. in Porter County 2016 Report

Transcription

1 Risk Children and Adolescent Substance Use Factors in Porter County 2016 Report

2 Preface n Porter County, Indiana, a group of concerned stakeholders and community leaders came Itogether to address the serious problem of substance abuse. At a meeting held in November, 2012, a gathering of over 75 people committed to a vision statement to save lives and create healthy communities where our youth and adults can thrive as productive citizens by reducing substance abuse. Substance abuse is a shared problem and it will take all of us working together in the community to understand the challenges and seek solutions. We believe the place to start is to understand the extent to which the problem currently exists. To that end, we have commissioned this research report in order to provide a baseline of reliable information regarding substance abuse issues, prevention tactics and treatment, and recovery resources throughout Porter County. Empower Porter County has engaged the Institute for Social and Policy Research at Purdue University Northwest to issue a series of reports which are intended to help our community better understand the issues of alcohol, tobacco, drug and other substance abuse. This is the first report in a series of six and it highlights the risk factors of children and adolescent substance use in Porter County. i

3 Table of Contents Preface i Table of Contents ii Porter County Drug Awareness Video Shown to Teens 1 Children and Adolescent Substance Use: A Risk and Resilience Perspective 2 Risk Factors of Children and Adolescent 3 Substance Use in Porter County, Indiana Environmental Factors 4 Interpersonal and Social Factors 6 Family-Related Factors 7 School-Related Factors 9 Peer-Related Factors 11 Concurrent Risk Factors and the Relationship Between Risk Factors and Substance Use 13 Summary 14 References 15 Appendix 16 ii

4 Porter County Drug Awareness Video Shown to Teens Source: Post-Tribune (September 16, 2015) lesha Rouff was moved to tears by the video "Heroin: Not Aa Problem, an Epidemic." The Wheeler High School senior, 18, said she felt bad for the 15 or so Porter County Jail inmates who participated in the video, put out by Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds. "I felt really horrible. Things weren't right for the people not to [sic] drugs. It makes me really sad. It hurts," she said. "It's really horrible watching this video to help make us not do drugs." Rouff and her classmates watched the YouTube video in the school's auditorium Tuesday, part of an effort by [Porter County Sheriff] David Reynolds to get the 12- minute piece, made earlier this year, into county schools. All of the inmates in the video are from Porter County and attended high schools here, and all were addicted to heroin. The video also includes stories of two families whose children died of overdoses, and a segment in the morgue with Coroner Chuck Harris. Showing the video, which was also expected to be presented to middle school students Friday, is a way to inform parents and students, Assistant Principal Jack Szhimanski said. "It's very important," he said. Reynolds said he's met with all of the superintendents in the county about incorporating the video into school curriculums for students in fifth grade and up. "This is what we wanted to do. We wanted to get it to the students," he said, adding the county is working hard on treatment and increasing undercover stings and arrests, "but all of us know that's not the answer. The answer is education." The goal is to get through to young people who ultimately are the ones who decide whether to use drugs. "Our objective is, they'll have the foundation to make that right choice when they're presented with drugs," he said. Some students covered their eyes during the morgue segment, which included autopsy photos of overdose victims, and most sat with rapt attention during the video. Before the clip began, Reynolds told students the No. 1 problem in the county is substance abuse. We have 420 people in jail right now, including 15 females," he said. "Every female has a substance abuse problem, and so do 95 percent of the men." Figure 1. Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds talks to Wheeler High School sophomores and seniors before a showing of Heroin: Not a Problem, an Epidemic. (Photo courtesy of Amy Lavalley - Post-Tribune) Teenagers in the US view taking drugs, smoking, or drinking alcohol as the most important problem facing their age group (Gallup, 2006). In addition, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are the most commonly used drugs by adolescents in the U.S. (Johnston et al., 2013). In regards to their developmental aspect, teen consumption of substances, even at a low level, might be problematic (Anthony, Jensen, & Howard, 2015). A Porter County official declares there is an epidemic of heroin in the area. How is this going to affect teens in Porter County? Are they at risk of getting involved in this problem? 1

5 Children and Adolescent Substance Use: A Risk and Resilience Perspective he use of substances among adolescents Tspan a continuum of four categories: no use; non-problematic use; abuse; and dependence (Anthony, Jenson, & Howard, 2015). In 2015, 23.6% of 12th graders in Porter County were marijuana users (Indiana Youth Survey, 2015). Illicit drug use among youth has remained constant for the last two decades. During the same period, there has been a decrease of alcohol and cigarette use among adolescents. Why do some youth tend to use substances while others completely avoid it? This question has been the main theme in the study of youth problems associated with substance abuse. One of the most important lessons from hundreds of studies in the area of youth problems, is the understanding that there is no single cause. Rather, there are individual, school, peer, family, and community influences that increase the likelihood that an adolescent will experience a social or health problem such as substance use. This group of negative influences is known as RISK FACTORS (Jenson & Fraser, 2015). On the other hand, resources (individual, school, peer, family, and community) that minimize the impact of risk for adolescent substance use are known as PROTECTIVE FACTORS (Fraser & Terzian, 2005). Interestingly, some children and adolescents show high functionality and resistance toward social and health problems despite adverse familial and environmental situations. An individual's ability to succeed in the face of adverse life circumstances is known as RESILIENCE. Understanding risk, protection, and resilience is key to designing an effective policy and programs to reduce adolescent substance use (Anthony, Jenson, & Howard, 2015). Risk Factors Contributing to Substance Use in Children & Adolescents The risk factors which contribute to substance use in children and adolescents can be divided into three categories: environmental, interpersonal & social, and individual factors (Anthony, Jenson, & Howard, 2015). Environmental Factors Low taxation and weak regulation of alcohol and drugs Permissive cultural and social norms about substance use Availability of alcohol and drugs Poverty Limited economic opportunity Neighborhood disorganization Low neighborhood attachment High rates of residential mobility High rates of adult criminality High population density Interpersonal & Social Factors Family conflict Poor family management patterns Dysfunctional family communication patterns Parent and sibling substance use Poor parent-child bonding School failure Low commitment to school Rejection by conforming peer groups Association with drug using friends Figure 2. Risk factors of adolescent substance use (Anthony, Jenson, & Howard, 2015) Individual Factors Family history of alcoholism Sensation-seeking orientation Poor impulse control Attention deficits Hyperactivity 2

6 Valparaiso Risk Factors of Children and Adolescent Substance Use in Porter County, Indiana Where did this information come from? The majority of the information presented here was gathered from the 2015 Indiana Youth Survey (formerly known as the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents Survey). This survey incorporated a representative sample of 6th to 12th graders across Indiana. However, the information presented in this report only includes data from the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. The number of participants in Porter County and their characteristics are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Student Participants of the Indiana Youth Survey in Porter County Characteristics Number of Participants Percentage from Total Participants Grades 6th 1, th 1, th 1, th Total 5, Race White 4, Black/ African American Hispanic Other Gender Male 2, Female 2, Which risk factors and how were they measured? The Indiana Youth Survey provides information regarding Environmental, Community, and Interpersonal risk factors. The interpersonal risk factors are further subdivided into family-, school-, and peer-related factors. The risk factors were measured using the Community That Cares (CTC) survey. Each risk factor was measured using several questions and then the results were compiled. The composit score of all participants on each of the risk factors was then divided into two groups, based on the median of the scores. The High Risk Group includes participants with a composite score higher than the median; the Low Risk Group includes the others. Five-year trends of the percentage of students in the High Risk Group for each of the risk factors are also included. 3

7 Environmental Factors Porter County population constitutes about 2.5% of Indiana population. About 9 out of 10 people who live in Porter County are white. The poverty 10.4% level in Porter County is (Indiana = 15.4%). There are almost 7,000 unemployed individuals between the ages of 18 to 64 in Porter County. Porter County s average per capita yearly income (US$24,635) and median household income (US$62,794) are higher than Indiana and National figures. Since 2012 Porter County has been categorized as an HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas). Drug related criminal arrests continue to increase in Porter County. Recently Porter County officials declared there is an epidemic of heroin in the area. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 90 percent of the people who tried heroin for the first time in the past decade were white, and a growing number of these people are middle-class or wealthy. Participants perception about the laws and norms in Porter County being Favorable to drug use How easy it is to get drugs in Porter County? Figure 3. Participants Perceptions about laws and norms being favorable to drug use in their community (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) The majority of youth in Porter County surveyed in the Indiana Youth Survey 2015 perceived that the law and norms are not in favor of drug use. However, it is important to notice that more than one third of 10th and 12th graders in Porter County are in high risk groups, and those students perceived that the law and norms in Porter County are favorable to drug use. Figure 4. Participants Perceptions of the easiness to get drugs in Porter County (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) In general, adolescents in Porter County surveyed in the Indiana Youth Survey 2015 perceived that it is not easy not get drugs. However, as age increases, more adolescents believe that it is easy to get drugs in Porter County. 4

8 TRENDS Environmental Factors There was a constant decrease in pattern for sixth, eighth, and tenth graders at high risk regarding the perception of ease with which to get drugs in Porter County for the last three years. On the other hand, a different pattern was shown by the 12th graders, where the number of students who perceived that it is easy to get drugs in Porter County (Figure 5). has continued to increase since 2013 Figure 5. Trends of students at high risk regarding perception of the ease with which to get drugs in Porter County (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 6. Trends of students at high risk regarding perception of laws and norms being favorable to drug use (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) 5

9 Interpersonal & Social Factors

10 Family-Related Factors As the grade level increases, the number of students in High Risk categories regarding youth s perception of poor family management and parental attitudes, which were favorable toward drug use, also increased. In addition, children and adolescents in Porter County tend to perceive that there is a high amount of conflict in their families. Figure 7. Youth perception of amount of family conflict in Porter County. High risk indicates high levels of conflict (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Studies have shown that parental conflict is related to subsequent alcohol or drug use by adolescent family members. Figure 8. Youth perception of poor family management in Porter County. High risk indicates child describes inappropriate boundaries and family management in home (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 9. Youth perception of parental attitudes being favorable toward drug use. High risk indicates child perceives their parents' attitude toward drugs to be positive (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) 7

11 TRENDS Family-Related Factors For the last six years, a higher percentage of eighth graders were in the High Risk category regarding the amount of family conflict, as compared to other grades (Figure 10). In addition, all but sixth graders saw an increase of those in the High Risk category regarding poor family management (Figure 11). However, all but sixth graders saw a decrease in risk regarding the perception of parental permissiveness toward drug use (Figure 12). Figure 10. Trends of students at high risk regarding perception of amount of family conflict in Porter County. High risk indicates high levels of conflict (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 11. Trends of students at high risk regarding perception of poor family management in Porter County. High risk indicates child describes inappropriate boundaries and family management in home (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 12. Trends of students at high risk regarding perception of parental attitudes being favorable toward drug use. High risk indicates child perceives their parents' attitude toward drugs to be positive (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) 8

12 School-Related Factors The rates of adolescents with low commitment to school in Porter County are higher than the national figures. Low commitment to school is indicated by higher number of days of school skipped; lack of interest in courses; general perception that schoolwork is not meaningful; and school is generally less important for the future. These students do not like being in school and put less effort into schoolwork. Research shows that adolescent drug users are more likely to skip classes, be absent from school, and perform more poorly than non-drug users (Gottfredson, 1981). Low Commitment to School & Academic Failure Figure 13. Youth commitment to school in Porter County. High risk indicates child's commitment toward school is inappropriately low (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 14. Academic failure of children and adolescents in Porter County. High risk indicates child is doing poorly in school (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) 9

13 TRENDS School-Related Factors Compared to the 2014 data, the number of students who were at risk regarding their commitment to school was higher in 2015 for all grade groups (Figure 15; no data available for sixth graders in 2015). The most significant increase was shown by the eighth graders. Figure 15. Trends of students at high risk regarding commitment to school in Porter County. High risk indicates child's commitment toward school is inappropriately low (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) In addition, eighth graders also showed a significant increase in the percentage of students in the High Risk group associated with academic failure (Figure 16). Figure 16. Trends of students at high risk related with academic failure of children and adolescents in Porter County. High risk indicates child is doing poorly in school (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) 10

14 Peer-Related Factors Figure 18. Youth perceived rewards for antisocial involvement. High risk indicates child perceives there to be social rewards for engaging in antisocial behavior (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 17. Peer s perceived risk of drug use. High risk indicates that peers are unaware of risk related to drug use (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 19. Peers favorable attitudes toward drug use. High risk indicates child perceives peers' attitudes towards drugs to be positive (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 20. Favorable attitudes toward antisocial behavior. High risk indicates child perceives there to be social rewards for engaging in antisocial behavior (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Consistent with the national trend, a higher proportion of youth in Porter County are unaware of the risk related to drug use. As their age increases, adolescents tend to perceive drug use as less harmful (see Figure 17). More alarming is the data related to the youths perception of rewards for antisocial involvement. Studies found that association with friends who use drugs is among the strongest predictors of adolescent substance abuse. Figure 21. Youth interaction with antisocial peers. High risk indicates child interacts often with peers that engage in anti-social behavior (Indiana Youth Survey 2015) 11

15 TRENDS Peer-Related Factors Figure 22. Trends of students at high risk regarding peer s perceived risk of drug use. High risk indicates that peers are unaware of risk related to drug use (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) In general, from there was an increase in the number of students in all grade groups classified in High Risk groups regarding peer-related factors. Specifically, factors associated with peers perception of risk from drug use; peers favorable attitudes toward drug use; peers favorable attitudes toward antisocial behavior; and youths perceived rewards for antisocial involvement. However, youth interaction with antisocial peers showed a decreasing pattern for all grade levels in Figure 23. Trends of students at high risk regarding peers favorable attitudes toward drug use. High risk indicates child perceives peers' attitudes toward drugs to be positive (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 24. Trends of students at high risk regarding favorable attitudes toward antisocial behavior. High risk indicates child perceives there to be social rewards for engaging in antisocial behavior (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 25. Trends of students at high risk regarding youth interaction with antisocial peers. High risk indicates child interacts often with peers that engage in anti-social behavior (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015) Figure 26. Trends of students at high risk regarding youth perceived rewards for antisocial involvement. High risk indicates child perceives there to be social rewards for engaging in antisocial behavior (sources: The Consumption and Consequences of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs in Porter County: A Local Epidemiological Profile 2015 and Indiana Youth Survey 2015)

16 Concurrent Risk Factors and the Relationship Between Risk Factors and Substance Use Concurrent Risk Factors In order to analyze the concurrent risk factors of substance use among children and adolescents in Porter County, we conducted a correlation analysis among the risk factors. A correlation measures the relationship between two variables. Variables that are correlated tend to co-occur. For example, children who watch more violent television are also more likely to be bullies at school (and vice versa). Correlations are important because it shows us that if individuals or groups are high in one variable, they are likely high in the other. It is important to note however, that correlation does not imply that one variable causes the other (violent television doesn't necessarily cause children to become bullies), there are many other factors at play. Based on the correlation analysis (for more detailed results, see Appendix), cohorts that are at high risk in the family-related risk factors were also at high risk for school-related risk factors, community related risk factors, and peer-related risk factors. Parental attitude toward drug use is correlated with the low commitment of students to school. In addition, low commitment to school is also associated with some peer-related risk factors such as perceived low risk of drug use. Family-related risk factors, especially poor family management, are related to peerrelated risk factors (e.g., early initiation of drug use). School-related risk factors and community related risk factors were also correlated. The data shows that students with low commitment to school also tend to perceive that the law and norms are favorable to drug use and perceive that it is easy to get drugs. Analysis also showed that low school commitment, community related risk factors, and most of the peer related risk factors were related to drug use. However, there was not evidence of a correlation between family related risk factors and drug use. Risk Factors and Substance Use There are several risk factors that are significantly associated with substance use (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and prescription drug use) among students in Porter County. They are: perception of laws and norms that are favorable to drug use, perception of availability of drugs in the area, low commitment to school, parental attitude favorable towards drug use, parental attitude favorable towards anti-social behavior, early drug use, anti-social peers, peer attitude favorable towards drug use, and social rewards on anti-social behavior. 13

17 Summary The attitudinal risk factors contributing to child and adolescent substance use can be divided into three main categories: environmental; interpersonal & social; and individual factors. This report presents the available data regarding the perceptions of these factors held by youth living in Porter County, Indiana. The data in these three categories show that children and adolescents in Porter County are at risk for drug abuse, if: They perceive that their families have high rates of conflict They have low commitment to school and educational opportunities They are generally unaware of the risks of drug use Further statistical analysis shows that community influences, parental attitudes toward drug use, and peer factors are very strong correlators with substance abuse. Porter County officials have recently declared that substance abuse, most notably heroin, amongst County residents is at epidemic levels, and the County has recently been categorized as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). This calls for responses of coordinated policy and intervention, especially critical for youth. 14

18 References Anthony, E. K., Jenson J. M., & Howard, M. (2015). Policies and programs for adolescent substance abuse. In J. M. Jenson & M. W. Fraser (Eds.), Social policy for children and families: A risk and rd resilience perspective (3 Edition). Los Angeles: Sage. Gallup Organization. (2006). Drugs, smoking, alcohol most important problem facing teens. Retrieved from: Jenson, J. M., & Fraser, M. W. (2015). A risk and resilience framework for child, youth, and family policy. In J. M. Jenson & M. W. Fraser (Eds.), Social policy for children and families: A risk and rd resilience perspective (3 Edition). Los Angeles: Sage. Johnston, L. D., O Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (2013). Monitoring the Future national results on drug use: 2012 overview, key findings on adolescent drug use. Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan. Fraser, M. W., & Terzian, M. A. (2005). Risk and resilience in child development: Practice principles and strategies. In G. P. Mallon & P. McCartt (Eds), Handbook of children, youth, and family services: Practice, policies, and programs. New York: Columbia University Press. Gottfredson, G. D. (1981). Schooling and delinquency. In S. E. Martin, L. B. Sechrest, & R. Redner (Eds.), New directions in the rehabilitation of criminal offenders. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. 15

19 Appendix Table 1. Correlation between environmental risk factors and school-related risk factors Laws and Norms Favorable To Drug Use Perception of Availability of Drugs Academic Failure Low School Commitment.736*.784* Table 2. Correlation between environmental risk factors and family-related risk factors Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use Perception of Availability of Drugs Parental Attitude toward.632*.914* Drug Use Parental Attitude Toward * Anti-Social Behavior Family Management Family Conflict Table 3. Correlation between environmental risk factors and peer-related risk factors Laws and Norms Favorable to Drug Use Perception of Availability of Drugs Early Initiation of Drug Use.649*.803* Rebelliousness Anti-Social Peers.727*.895* Peer Attitudes Toward Anti-.592*.491 Social Behavior Peer Attitudes about Drug.851*.953* Use Peer Perceived Risk of Drug Use Peer Rewards for Anti- Social Behavior * Table 4. Correlation between family-related risk factors and peer-related risk factors Parental Attitude toward Drug Use Parental Att. Toward Anti-Social Behav. Family Management Family Conflict Early Initiation of.719*.820*.764*.280 Drug Use Rebelliousness * Anti-Social Peers.732*.758*.832*.207 Peer Attitudes * toward Anti- Social Behavior Peer Attitudes.907*.743* Toward Drug Use Peer Perceived Risk of Drug Use Peer Rewards for Anti-Social Behavior.796*.771* *: p-value less than.05 (statistically significant at 95% level)

20 Table 5. Correlation between school-related risk factors and family-related risk factors Academic Failure Low School Commitment Parental Attitude Toward Drug Use * Parental Attitude Toward Anti-Social Behavior Family Management Family Conflict Table 6. Correlation between school-related risk factors and peer-related risk factors Academic Failure Low School Commitment Early Initiation of Drug Use Rebelliousness Anti-Social Peers Peer Attitudes toward Anti-Social Behavior Peer Attitudes toward Drug Use * Peer Perceived Risk of Drug Use * Peer Rewards for Anti-Social Behavior * Table 7. Correlation between risk factors and drug use among youth in Porter County Alcohol Use Tobacco Use Marijuana Use Heroin Use Cocaine Use Prescription Drug Use Laws and Norms Favorable to.730*.645*.778* * Drug Use Availability of Drugs.939*.900*.958*.750*.800*.949* Academic Failure Low School Commitment.731*.696*.749* *.628* Parental Attitude Drug Use.970*.958*.930*.766*.788*.889* Parental Attitude Anti-Social.802*.818*.742*.767*.738*.744* Behavior Family Management * Family Conflict Early Drug Use.789*.769*.769*.744*.657*.821* Rebelliousness Anti-Social Peers.808*.783*.740*.675*.593*.820* Peer Attitude Anti-Social Behavior Peer Attitude Drug Use.957*.894*.962*.689*.699*.923* Peer Perceived Risk Drug use Social Rewards Anti-Social Behavior.828*.820*.797*.750*.730*.698* *: p-value less than.05 (statistically significant at 95% level)

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