August 13, 2004

Participation in Youth Activities and Substance Use among Youths

Approximately 91 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 participated in one or more activities during the past year. These youths were more likely to participate in school-based activities (81 percent) during the past year than community-based activities (69 percent), church- or faith-based activities (63 percent), or other activities (37 percent) (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Participation in Youth Activities in the Past Year among Youths Aged 12 to 17, by Type of Activity: 2002	Figure 2. Participation in Youth Activities in the Past Year among Youths Aged 12 to 17, by Type of Activity and Age: 2002

Females aged 12 to 17 were more likely to participate in activities during the past year than their male counterparts. For example, 83 percent of females aged 12 to 17 participated in one or more school-based activities during the past year compared with 79 percent of males (data not shown).

In addition, the proportion of youths who participated in activities during the past year decreased as age increased (Figure 2). For example, youths aged 12 or 13 were more likely to participate in any activities in the past year (94 percent) than youths aged 14 or 15 (92 percent) or youths aged 16 or 17 (88 percent).

Youths aged 12 to 17 who participated in school-based, community-based, church- or faith-based, or other activities during the past year were less likely to have used cigarettes during the past month than youths who did not participate in activities (Figure 3). For example, approximately 11 percent of youths aged 12 to 17 who participated in a school-based activity in the past year reported past month cigarette use compared with almost 20 percent of youths who did not participate in one or more school-based activities.

Youths aged 12 to 17 who participated in church- or faith-based or other activities during the past year were less likely to have used alcohol in the past month than youths who did not participate in these activities (Figure 3). For example, approximately 15 percent of youths who participated in a church- or faith-based activity in the past year reported past month alcohol use compared with 22 percent of youths who did not participate in a church- or faith-based activity. There was no difference in past month alcohol use among youths who participated in school- or community-based activities during the past year.

Figure 3. Past Month Cigarette and Alcohol Use among Youths Aged 12 to 17, by Participation Status in the Past Year and Type of Activity: 2002	Figure 4. Past Month Use of Marijuana and Any Illicit Drug Other Than Marijuana* among Youths Aged 12 to 17, by Participation Status in the Past Year and Type of Activity: 2002

Among youths aged 12 to 17, those who participated in school-based, community-based, church- or faith-based, or other activities during the past year were less likely to have used marijuana in the past month than youths who did not participate in these activities (Figure 4). For example, approximately 7 percent of youths who participated in a community-based activity during the past year reported marijuana use during the past month compared with 10 percent of youths who did not participate in at least one community-based activity.

Youths aged 12 to 17 who participated in school-based, community-based, or church- or faith-based activities during the past year were less likely to have used an illicit drug other than marijuana in the past month than youths who did not participate in these types of activities (Figure 4). For example, 5 percent of youths who participated in a school-based activity during the past year reported past month use of an illicit drug other than marijuana compared with almost 8 percent of youths who did not participate in one or more school-based activities. There was no difference in past month use of an illicit drug other than marijuana among youths by participation in other activities during the past year.