The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63541

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 of San Francisco provides a safe, positive place for youths to engage in community based programs. The objective of this study is to determine the health risk behaviors and health needs of this inner city adolescent population, to evaluate the resilience of youths, and to compare the health risk patterns of this population with the national and state averages. Research Methods: We surveyed a population of 400 youths ages 8-19 from ten inner city B&G Clubs. We have data on tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, sexual behaviors, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and physical activity. We also surveyed the members' internal assets that include cooperation and communication and self-efficacy and external assets such as caring relationships, high expectations, and participation. Conclusions: We found that members of the Boys and Girls Clubs had lower rates of smoking, alcohol and drug use in every area than national and state averages. However they also had high rates of asthma and physical fighting in and out of school compared with national rates. The B&G Club members scored above California seventh graders in all internal and external assets at school and in the community. Implications: It is suggestive that participation in this youth program contributes to the members' low rates of alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and their high scores in internal and external assets compared to California seventh graders. Strong internal and external assets may be protective against health risk behaviors, thus the Club may act as a resource to both strengthen youth development and protect against health risk behaviors.

Learning Objectives:

• The objective of this study is to determine the health risk behaviors and health needs of this inner city adolescent population, to evaluate the resilience of youths as defined by having good internal and external assets, and to compare the health risk patterns of this population with the national and state averages.

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.