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School Violence, Substance Use, and Availability of Illegal Drugs On School Property Among US High School Students
Author(s) -
Lowry Richard,
Cohen Lisa R.,
Modzeleski William,
Kann Laura,
Collins Janet L.,
Kolbe Lloyd J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of school health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.851
H-Index - 86
eISSN - 1746-1561
pISSN - 0022-4391
DOI - 10.1111/j.1746-1561.1999.tb06427.x
Subject(s) - suicide prevention , injury prevention , poison control , human factors and ergonomics , environmental health , occupational safety and health , psychology , substance use , school violence , odds , substance abuse , feeling , medicine , social psychology , psychiatry , logistic regression , pathology
To determine if school violence is associated with substance use and availability of illegal drugs at school, this study examined data from the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative sample of10,904 high school students. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated to describe the associations of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use (on and off school property), and availability of illegal drugs at school with five indicators of school violence ‐ weapon‐carrying, physical fighting, having property stolen or damaged, being threatened or injured, and being absent from school because of feeling unsafe. School violence indicators increased with the number of substances used and the location of use (on school property vs. off school property). School violence was associated with availability of illegal drugs at school, even among students who did not use substances. These findings suggest a need for coordinated violence and substance use prevention programs for youth in school and community settings.