 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Leslie Wilson, PhD1, Vicky Siauw2, Sharon Youmans, PharmD1, and Laleh Javanbakht2. (1) Department of Clinical Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, 3333 California St, Suite 420, San Francisco, CA 94118, 415-502-5092, lwilson@itsa.ucsf.edu, (2) School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco, 533 Parnassus Ave, Box 0150, San Francisco, CA 94143-0150
Objective: The Boys and Girls Club (B&G) of San Francisco provides a safe, positive place for youths to socialize, engage in activities, and community based programs. The objective of this study is to determine the health risk behaviors of this inner city adolescent population, to determine the role that youth programs can have on drug, tobacco, and alcohol use, and to compare the drug use patterns of this population with the national and state averages. Research Methods/Design: We surveyed a population of 400 youths ages 8-19 from ten inner city B&G Clubs of San Francisco. We have data on substance use behaviors such as cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and other substance use currently and in the members’ lifetime. Conclusions: We found that members of the B&G Clubs had low rates of alcohol and drug use compared with national and state rates. Lifetime marijuana use was higher in the club members compared to the national average. However, lifetime alcohol and cigarette use were lower in the club members compared to the national average. We identified a high rate of attempts to quit smoking and a desire to enter programs to quit smoking. The rates of current, heavy, and binge drinking were also lower in the Club members compared to the rates of alcohol use in California. Implications: It is suggestive that participation in this youth program contributes to the members’ low current, heavy, and binge drinking and low cigarette smoking. The importance perhaps assisting inner city youths with more healthy behaviors that steer away from drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Community Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.