Indiana Data on Critical Hours and Critical Years - IPRC INFOsite

Precision Targeting in Prevention:

Indiana Data on Critical Hours and Critical Years

by
William J. Bailey, M.P.H., C.P.P.
Associate Professor of Applied Health Science and
Executive Director, Indiana Prevention Resource Center
Indiana University

Indiana Data on Critical Hours

Data from the Indiana Prevention Resource Center's annual survey of "Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents" provide powerful evidence that Hoosier middle school youth who participate in structured, adult supervised afterschool activities are much less likely to use illegal drugs than students who are unsupervised after school.

These data suggest that youth who are supervised in the "critical hours" between the end of school and the time that their family returns home to supervise them are protected from illicit drug involvement.

Middle school youth who participate in adult-supervised afterschool programs are less than half as likely as non-participants to use marijuana on a regular basis. They also are about half as likely to experiment with marijuana use or to use it infrequently.
Secondary analysis of data from Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents-The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1998.
Middle school youth who participate in adult-supervised afterschool programs are much less likely than non-participants to use cocaine and other illicit drugs on a regular basis. They also are only one-third as likely to experiment with cocaine or to use it infrequently.
Secondary analysis of data from Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents-The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1998.
Participation in adult-supervised athletic programs afterschool is a powerful protective factor against use of marijuana by middle school youth. Youth who participate on school sports teams are only half as likely as non-athletes to use marijuana regularly.
Secondary analysis of data from Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents-The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1998.
Participation in adult-supervised athletic programs afterschool is a slight protective factor against use of alcohol by middle school youth. Youth who participate on school sports teams are somewhat less likely that non-athletes to use alcohol regularly. (For students in grades 10 through 12, athletes are slightly more likely to use alcohol, but somewhat less likely to drink abusively.)
Secondary analysis of data from Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents-The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1998.

Indiana Data on Critical Years

Data from the Indiana Prevention Resource Center's annual survey of "Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents" also provide Indiana-specific evidence that most new drug use begins during the 36-month "window of increased vulnerability" between the end of 6th grade and the end of 9th grade..

These data suggest that Hoosier youth are particularly vulnerable to the onset of drug use during the "critical years" -- the 36 months that they are in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade.

In Indiana, nearly 60% of new regular cigarette smoking, and 70% of new regular use of most other drugs occurs between 7th and 9th grades. Inhalant use begins earlier and does not increase significantly beyond 9th grade.
Bailey, WJ, et al., Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents: The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1998 Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Institute for Drug Abuse Prevention, Prevention Monograph Series 98-1, 1998.
In Indiana, virtually all new use of alcohol begins prior to the end of 9th grade. Lifetime, annual. monthly, and daily use increases most dramatically between 7th and 9th grade. 7th, 8th, and 9th grades are the "critical years" for preventing underage alcohol use.
Bailey, WJ, et al., Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents: The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1996 Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Institute for Drug Abuse Prevention, Prevention Monograph Series 96-1, 1996.
Although there is still some new marijuana experimentation after 9th grade, this is primarily one time experimental use by non-users. The vast majority of all regular use begins prior to the end of 9th grade. 7th, 8th, and 9th grades are the "critical years" for preventing marijuana use.
Bailey, WJ, et al., Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Use by Indiana Children and Adolescents: The Indiana Prevention Resource Center Survey-1996 Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Institute for Drug Abuse Prevention, Prevention Monograph Series 96-1, 1996.

[Next Section] - [Previous Section] - [Return to Menu]

Last Updated: September 7, 1998 - wjb