2009 Youth Survey: Overview

2. 2009 Youth Survey: Overview • 4th survey (2004, 2005, 2007, & 2009) • Based on Youth Risk Behavior Survey • 12 BF-funded projects participated • 335 youth responded • Voluntary at every level • Administered May-June 2009 • Analysis: Center for Urban Initiatives & Research and Wilberg Community Planning LLC

3. Methodology • Convenience sample • Paper and pencil survey • Conducted at program setting • Administered by BF staff/evaluator • Surveys scanned and tallied • Frequency distributions & cross-tabs generated • Each agency received its own results

4. More Survey Info Survey Sites Survey Components Demographics Safety and Violence Tobacco, Alcohol and Marijuana Use Sexual Behavior Healthy Behaviors Values Comparisons What Youth Want Us to Know • Parenting Network • LGBT Community Center • Pearls for Teen Girls • Boys and Girls Clubs St. Joan Antida and LaVarnway • Pathfinders • COA Riverwest and Goldin • Walker’s Point Youth & Family Center • Silver Spring Neighborhood Center • Latino Community Center • Milwaukee Christian Center

5. Demographics • 335 respondents • Average age 15.4 years/ average grade 9.2 • 66% girls/34% boys • 97% African American, Hispanic/Latino or mixed ethnic origin • 94% using one or more communication/social networking tools

6. Safety and Violence • 41% ridden in a car (past 30 days) with a driver who had been drinking • 12% did so 6 or more times • 18% carried a weapon (past 30 days) • 7% carried 6 or more days • 52% in one or more physical fights (past 12 months) • 11% had 6 or more fights • 15% experienced dating violence (past 12 months) • 72% felt safe at home • 22% at school • 14% in neighborhood • 12% in entire city • 88% felt sad or hopeless sometimes • 39% talked to a friend • 11% talked to parents • 12% talked to a trusted adult • 8% exercised/8% used alcohol or drugs Questions: Who are the drivers who have been drinking? Are they friends? Relatives? Parents? Do we think that the percentage of habitual weapon-carriers and fighters is a little or a lot? Parents and other adults don’t seem to be much of a resource for kids when they’re depressed. Why is that?

7. Tobacco, Alcohol and Marijuana More youth had tried alcohol during their lifetimes (65%) than marijuana (51%) or cigarettes (41%). The average age of onset (age at first use) was 13-14, reaffirming this age as a critical juncture for teens. Having ever used a substance does not translate into currently using it. While 41% said they had smoked at some point, only 14% were current smokers. 51% had ever smoked marijuana; 35% had in the past month. 65% had tried alcohol; 41% current users. Heavy users (past 30 days): • 5% smoke a ½ -1 pack of cigarettes a day • 16% drank alcohol 3 or more times • 15% smoked marijuana 6 or more times Questions: Why are kids more likely to use alcohol than marijuana or cigarettes? How do we explain the difference between ‘ever tried’ and current use? What are we most worried about?

8. Sexual Behavior • 64% had experienced sexual intercourse • Average age of onset: • 13.0 years for boys • 14.0 years for girls • 21% age of onset – 12 or younger • 3.2 average sexual partners (lifetime) • 4.1 for boys • 2.6 for girls • 14% identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual • 56% of sexually experienced youth had 3 or more partners • 64% used condoms last experience/ 20% no method or ‘not sure’ • 20% been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant • 85% received AIDS/HIV education Questions: What is the differential between ever having had sexual intercourse and currently sexually active? What does it mean that 1 in 5 youth had an age of onset of 12 or younger? Do we understand the current social context and mores around teen sexual behavior?

9. Comparison of Boys and Girls • Girls more likely than boys to feel safe at home (78% vs. 61%). • Girls more likely to admit to feeling sad or hopeless (91% vs. 81%) and to cope with those feelings by talking with friends (48% vs. 23%). • Girls less likely to have tried alcohol (40% vs. 26% never tried) but boys and girls who drink do so at the same rate (40% in past month). • Peer groups more important to girls than boys relative to attitudes toward cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. 75% of girls and 55% of boys said their friends would try to stop them from smoking; for marijuana 61% of girls and 48% of boys; for alcohol 66% for girls and 47% for boys. • Girls start having sex at an older age than boys and tend to have fewer sexual partners. 55% of girls sexually experienced compared to 79% of boys. Girls average 2.6 partners; boys 4.1 partners. • Importance of peer group reappears relative to youth’s ability to resist peer pressure (girls 80% and boys 91%). Girls were more likely to rate helping others as important (girls 76% and boys 66%).

10. Comparison of Violent and Non-Violent Youth Definition : Carried a weapon 1+ days in the past 30 days and had 2+ physical fights during past 12 months. • Violent youth more likely to have ridden in a car driven by someone who had been drinking (violent 66% and non-violent 38%). • Dating violent more common for violent youth (V 31% and NV 13%). • Violent youth less likely to feel safe at home (V 54% and NV 75%). • Using drugs to deal with feelings of sadness/hopelessness more common among violent youth (V 23% and NV 6%). • Alcohol and marijuana more prominent in lives of violent youth: age of onset (V 12.9 years and NV 13.4 years) and 30-day use of alcohol (V 60% and NV 40%) and marijuana (V 60% and NV 32%). • Violent youth more likely to be sexually experienced (V 74% and NV 59%) and have 3+ sexual partners (V 50% and NV 33%).

11. Comparison of High Risk Sexual Behavior (HRSB) Youth and Non-HRSB Youth Definition: HRSB defined as reporting 2 or more of the following: Age at first sexual intercourse of 12 or younger, 4+ sexual partners in lifetime, pregnant or having gotten someone pregnant, no condom use of ‘not sure’ at last sexual intercourse, no contraceptive method or ‘not sure’. • HRSB youth 4 times more likely to have had sexual intercourse at age 12 or younger (HRSB 48% Non-HRSB 11%). • Boys more likely than girls to report HRSB (boys 39% girls 23%). • HRSB associated with other dangerous/violent factors including riding in a car with a drinking driver (HRSB 55% and Non-HRSB 36%), carrying a weapon (HRSB 29% and Non-HRSB 12%), and dating violence (HRSB 24% and Non-HRSB 12%). • Age at first use significantly lower for HRSB youth – with a third first using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana at age 10-12 • Substance use significantly higher for all three substances.

12. What do we do next? • Good information, but where do we go with it? • My views: • Need to make maximum use of the data • Conduct a critical review of the survey instrument involving project staff and youth • Make the survey more current and relevant • Your views?