Citation

Kedia SK, Dillon PJ, Jiang Y, James W, Collins AC, Bhuyan SS. Community Ment. Health J. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s10597-020-00648-x

PMID

32500451

Abstract

With over 52% of high school students reporting that they have tried alcohol or illicit drugs, 16% carrying a weapon, and 23% engaging in a physical fight, substance use and youth violence remain critical public health challenges in the United States. Using data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, study results revealed that youth who reported heavy use of either alcohol, marijuana, or illicit drugs were three to ten times more likely to report carrying a weapon or engaging in a physical fight. Similarly, youth with heavy substance use were one and half times to 14 times more likely to be a victim of violence or sexual or dating violence. The SEM analysis indicated that substance use had a significant effect on all aspects of violence. School-based behavioral health specialists and community-based pediatricians may need to develop targeted messages to address the potential for violence among youth who use alcohol and/or illicit drugs.

Language: en

Keywords

Violence; Alcohol; Substance use; High school students; Illicit drugs