, pp.1-6 http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/astl.2015.88.01 Predictors of Youth Drug Use; using the 2014 Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey Young-Ju Jee Assistant professor, Dept. of Nursing, Kyungnam University, Changwon, Korea jeeyoungju@kyungnam.ac.kr Abstract. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of drug use among adolescents in South Korea and identify predictors of drug use tendency. A self-report survey was conducted upon 7th-12thgrade middle and high school students in South Korea. Seven hundred and seventeen students included in the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS / Win 21.0 program. The average drug use score of the participants was 1.64. Significant predictors of drug use were drinking, smoking, grade, and sex. The findings of the present study suggest that special concerns should be made for early detection of drug use in adolescents. In conclusion, educational programs to prevent adolescents from incorrect use of drugs should be provided in a multidisciplinary approach to adolescents. In addition, these programs should be planned in a long-term, systematic perspective. Keywords: drug use, behavior, alcohol, drinking, smoking, sex 1 Introduction Dangerous-classified drugs that may to lead to juvenile delinquency included alcohol, tobacco, bond, and thinner in the past. Recently, however, diet pills, anti-sleeping pills, hypnotics, and analgesics, as well as even other substances categorized as a drug have been spread for hallucinations [1]. A depth analysis of the results of this phenomenon suggests that the problem of youth drug abuse is in the middle of a holistic challenge due to acceleration of diffusion, downward age, diversification of drug use, etc. [1] [2] [3]. Youth drug abuse has an adverse effect on the youth in physical and mental aspects. It also serves to be linked to a crime beyond delinquency. Thus, urgent efforts need to be made to stop the habitation through prevention and early intervention. Youth drug use had a high correlation with smoking (p <.001, r = 0.97) and drinking (p <.001, r = 0.97) [4]. Studies reported that adolescents exposed to drug use, except for drinking and smoking, committed sexual misconduct 2.6 times higher and viewed pornography 2.4 times higher than those who were not [5]. It has been verified that youth drug use is associated with academic achievement, gender, grade, and economic conditions [6] and that stress[7], a psychological pressure, causes drug use and re-use. Results of this study is thus expected to be used as the basic data in planning studies on the intervention in youth drug use. ISSN: 2287-1233 ASTL Copyright 2015 SERSC
2 Method 2.1 Design This study is the secondary analysis using the data from the 2014 Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, the descriptive research to identify the predictors of youth drug use. 2.2 Subjects and data collection The sample size for this study was calculated using the G * power 3.1. The sample size for this study thus turned out 160 people, where significance level 05, moderate effect size 15, statistical power 95 and 8 variables had been applied. The number of subjects for this study, 717, provided enough statistical power. This study was carried out from February 1 to March 6, 2014. The secondary analysis was performed by making a request for the 2014 Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey (conducted through the stratified sampling from the population) data from the survey agency, obtaining the approval, and downloading the data. 2.3 Instrument To determine the general characteristics of subjects, this study used various question items out of raw materials, including drug use, gender, economic conditions, grade, academic achievement, drinking, smoking, stress, and sexual experience. 2.4 Data analysis The data in this study were analyzed using the SPSS / Win 21.0 program. Each variable was examined by descriptive statistics such as percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The association between drug use and related variables was analyzed using the Pearson's correlation coefficient. Predictors of youth drug use was investigated using multiple regression (simultaneous multiple regression). 2.5 Results 1) General characteristics Table 1. General Characteristics Category Sub-category Frequency(%) Mean(SD) 2 Copyright 2015 SERSC
Gender Economic conditions Grade Academic achievement Male(1) 448(62.5) Female(2) 269(37.5) Top(1) 134(18.7) Top-middle(2) 119(16.6) Middle(3) 224(31.2) Middle-low(4) 121(16.9) Low(5) 119(16.6) Middle school grade 1(1) 55(7.7) Middle school grade 2(2) 112(15.6) Middle school grade 3(3) 148(20.6) High school grade 1(4) 126(17.6) High school grade 2(5) 142(19.8) High school grade 3(6) 134(18.7) Top(1) 139(19.4) Top-middle(2) 96(13.4) Middle(3) 153(21.3) Middle-low(4) 146(20.4) Low(5) 183(25.5) 2.96(1.322) 3.82(2.16) 3.19(1.45) 2) Drug use-related characteristics Table 2. Drug use-related Characteristics Category Sub-category Frequency(%) Mean(SD) None(1) 406(56.6) Drug use In the past, but not these days(2) 165(23.0) These days, but sometimes(3) 146(20.4) 1.64(0.80) None(0) 384(53.6) Sex Heterosexual experience(1) 130(18.1) Homosexuality experience(2) 127(17.7) 0.85(1.06) Bisexual experience(3) 76(10.6) Drinking None-1cup over(1) 182(25.4) 1.75(0.44) Copyright 2015 SERSC 3
(Alcohol) Have-1cup over(2) 535(74.6) Smoking Stress None-Lifetime(1) 269(37.5) Have-Lifetime(2) 448(62.5) I feel very much(1) 189(26.4) I feel a lot(2) 147(20.5) I feel a little(3) 210(29.3) I do not feel much(4) 100(13.9) I do not feel at all(5) 71(9.9) 1.62(0.49) 2.61(1.28) 3) Correlation between drug use and variables Table 3. Correlation of Drug-used and Variables Category Drug use Drug use Sex Gender Economic conditions Grade Academic achievement Drinking (Alcohol) Smoking Pearson coefficient 1 Significant probability (both sides) Pearson coefficient 0.484(**) Pearson coefficient 0.016 Significant probability (both sides) 0.661 Pearson coefficient 0.046 Significant probability (both sides) 0.218 Pearson coefficient 0.153(**) Pearson coefficient -0.006 Significant probability (both sides) 0.873 Pearson coefficient 0.205(**) Pearson coefficient 0.304(**) Stress Pearson coefficient 0.071 4 Copyright 2015 SERSC
Significant probability (both sides) 0.056 4) Predictors of drug use Table 4. Predictors of Drug Use Variables b β t p (Constant).586 4.755.001 Drinking (Alcohol).156 0.085 2.466 0.014 Smoking.256 0.155 4.427.001 Grade 0.023 0.045 1.361 0.174 Sex 0.322 0.426 12.827.001 R 2 =0.278, Adj R 2 =0.274, F=68.414, p.001 3 Conclusions Predictors of drug use in secondary school students of Korea were drinking, smoking, grade, and sex. The intervention in these predictors may reduce drug use. Parents are required to play an active role in preventing youth drinking and smoking [8]. The sexual behavior among adolescents is associated with home environmental factors [9]. In conclusion, educational programs to prevent adolescents from incorrect use of drugs should be provided in a multidisciplinary approach to adolescents. In addition, these programs should be planned in a long-term, systematic perspective. References 1. H. J. Lee, S. D. Hong, Y. J. Joung, H. J. Park, S. S. Choi, The characteristics of adolescent substance abuse by the age of the first exposure to substances. Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association, Vol.40, No.6, 1194-1203, (2002). 2. S-E. Park, An Exploratory Study on Psychological Characteristics of Juvenile Delinquents with Inhalants Drug Abuse Problems, Korean Police Studies Review, Vol.9, No.3, 37-66, (2002). 3. C-S. Lee,., S-J.Kim, Y-R. Kweon, A study on adolescents drug abuse and influence factors of the potential drug use in a city-middle and high school students in gwangju city-. Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Vol.15, No.1, 76-88, (2006). 4. J-Y. Bae, S-H. Choi, Prevalence of substance abuse among adolescents, Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Vol.18, No.1, 21-30, (2009). 5. M-H. Seo, Statuses of and measures against sexual problems and drug use in adolescents, Health and Welfare Forum, Vol.10, No.7, 44-52, (1997). Copyright 2015 SERSC 5
6. C-S. Lee, S-J. Kim, Y-R. Kweon, A study on adolescents' drug abuse and the influence factors of the potential drug use in a city-middle and high school students in gwangju city-, Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, Vol.15, No.1, 76-88, (2006). 7. S-J. Chang, A study on the personality traits of drug abuse adolescents being in the juvenile training school [dissertation]. Seoul:Seoul Women's University, (2000). 8. J-P. Burm, An appropriate parent role model for alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse prevention in adolescence, Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, Vol.13, No.1, 18-28, (2003). 9. D. J. Whitaker, K. S. Miller, D. C. May, M. L. Levin, Teenage partners communication about sexual risk and condom use: The importance of parent-teenager discussions, Family Planning perspectives, Vol.31, No.3, 117-121. (1999). 6 Copyright 2015 SERSC