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

Abstract #66133

Michael Havens, PhD, Department of Psychology, Montana State University-Billings, 1500 University Drive, Billings, MT 59101, (406) 657-2248, mhavens@msubillings.edu and Carl Lee Hanson, PhD, CHES, Department of Health, Physical Education and Human Services, Montana State University - Billings, 1500 University Drive, Billings, MT 59101.

Preventing substance abuse among young people requires an understanding of substance use behaviors. Previous research suggests higher rates of substance use among adolescents living in rural settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the rural and urban differences in self-reported substance use among adolescents. In a 2000 sample of 18,728 school children conducted in Montana, 12,799 (68.3%) described themselves as living in the city, 1646 (8.8%) said they lived on a farm and 4202 (22.4%) described where they lived as “in the country but not on a farm”. Of this sample 73.8% actually lived in areas that would be defined as “rural” by previous researchers. Adolescents included in the sample ranged from 6th through the 12th grades. One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) with appropriate post hoc comparisons were used to examine the self-reported 30 day use frequency of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, stimulants, smokeless tobacco and cigarettes across the perceived location of living designated as city, farm or country. Results indicated that responders living on a farm had significantly higher 30 day use rates than from either the city or country except for marijuana and cigarettes. There was not a significant difference in 30 day use of cigarettes between the three living locations (f = .318, p = .728) and the marijuana use frequency in the farm category was significantly lower than the country (p = .02) and city (p = .005) frequency. These findings have important implications for school and community prevention professionals in both rural and urban areas.

Learning Objectives:

Following this session, participants will:
• explain the differences in substance abuse between youth living in the country, on a farm, in the city
• apply understanding of rural and urban substance abuse to school and community prevention planning

Keywords: Youth, Substance Abuse Prevention

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.