A Comprehensive Community Approach to Adolescent Drug Abuse Prevention: Effects on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Behaviors

Abstract

This paper reports the effects of a multi-community drug prevention trial on the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana in early adolescents and their parents, effects on parent prevention practices, and the relationship of family health behaviors to adolescent cigarette and alcohol use. Annual self-report surveys were administered to a population-based sample of 6/7th grade students from all schools in a 15 community area (n = 5008). Students were also administered an expired air (CO) measure of cigarette smoking to increase the accuracy of self-reported smoking and drug use. A sub-sample of parents were also surveyed at one year follow-up (n = 620). Logistic regression analyses of student data indicated that program groups were increasing in monthly drug use prevalence rates at an average of half the rates of control groups at one year follow-up (3.4 vs 14.5% for cigarette use, 4.2 vs 9.6% for alcohol use (<1 drink), 3.5 vs 7.6% for marijuana use); effects were similar for weekly use rates, and have been maintained at two year follow-up. Analyses of parent data at one year follow-up indicated that the odds of program group parents rating drug prevention practices and personal involvement in prevention programs as extremely important, discussing prevention with their children, and exercising regularly were higher compared to control group parents; and perceived child use of cigarettes and marijuana, and self-use of alcohol in the last week was lower (odds ratios averaged across prevention ratings for each substance = 1.85, 1.72, 1.37, 1.53; for use items. 34,. 73,. 59; P<.10-. 002).

Key Words:

• smoking
• alcohol
• prevention
• cardiovascular disease.