Georgia Student Health Survey II, state report 2007-2008 [Nov. 2008]

Georgia Student Health Survey II State Report 2007-2008
Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Public Health

Acknowledgements
Georgia Department of Education Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
Innovative Instruction Garry McGiboney, Ph.D., Associate Superintendent
Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Marilyn Watson, Education Program Specialist Jeff Hodges, Education Administration Specialist
Georgia Department of Human Resources B.J. Walker, Commissioner
Division of Public Health Sandra E. Ford, M.D., M.B.A., Acting Director
Health Information, Policy, Strategy, and Accountability Martha Okafor, Ph.D., Division Deputy Director
Office of Epidemiology, Evaluation, and Health Information Dafna Kanny, Ph.D., Senior Director
Epidemiology Section John Horan, M.D., M.P.H., Director
Healthy Behavior Epidemiology Unit Manxia Wu, M.D., M.P.H., Manager
Suggested Citation: Levin E., Clarkson, L., Bryan, L. Georgia Student Health Survey II State Report 2007-2008. Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, Nov 2008. Publication Number DPH08.XXX.

Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................2
Part I: Student Drug Use Patterns Where students use drugs....................................................................................................................................3 When students use drugs....................................................................................................................................4 Core Measures
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco use.............................................................................................................5 Perceived risk...........................................................................................................................................6 Adult disapproval.......................................................................................................................................7 Friends' disapproval...................................................................................................................................8 Average age of first use..............................................................................................................................9
Part II: Risk and Protective Factors Community......................................................................................................................................................10
Participation in gang activity School.............................................................................................................................................................11
Feeling successful at school, thinking about dropping out, school safety Family.............................................................................................................................................................13
Feeling safe at home Individual.........................................................................................................................................................14
Suicide, self-harm, getting along well with other students and adults
Part III Linking survey data to best practices......................................................................................................................15
Methods..........................................................................................................................................................17
Summary.........................................................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................................19
1

Introduction
The Georgia Student Health Survey II (GSHS II) is an anonymous, statewide survey created by the Georgia Department of Education. The GSHS II assists in the identification of safety and health issues that may impact student achievement so that local schools and school districts can develop and implement prevention and intervention strategies that are targeted to specific issues identified by the GSHS II survey results. The survey covers various topics such as school climate and safety, graduation, dropping out of school, alcohol and drug use, suicide, nutrition, sedentary behaviors, and teen driving laws.
This survey provides Georgia public school districts with a free survey to satisfy the Title IV-Part A, Safe and Drug-Free Schools (SDFS) requirements. The data from this online survey can also be used to satisfy the data requirement for completion of the Consolidated Application for Title IV-A, SDFS. The survey was administered in the fall semester of 2007 to 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders enrolled in Georgia public schools. Surveys were administered in school computer labs. Over 90 percent of the public school districts (171) participated in the survey. A total of 243,798 students participated in the survey. Survey results from 11,888 of these students were excluded due to inconsistent responses on a series of validity check questions or incomplete surveys. Consequently, the total number of valid student surveys was 231,910.
The GSHS II 2007-2008 results are shared with all schools and school districts that participated in the survey. Each of the 787 participating schools received a comprehensive report for their school allowing each participating school administrator to compare outcomes from their school to other schools in their district, the state, and to national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. Local schools and school districts use the findings to guide Safe and Drug-Free Schools prevention and intervention strategy development and for grant applications, such as the Readiness Emergency Management System Grant from the United States Department of Education - Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
Part I of this report provides details on student drug use patterns, including student-reported 30-day use for tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, location and time of drug use, perceived risk, parental and friends' disapproval, and average age at first use. Part II offers information on the community, school, family, and individual factors that contribute to healthy or unhealthy student choices and aids or barriers to learning, such as participation in gang activity, feeling successful at school, thinking about dropping out of school, school safety, feeling safe at home, suicide, self-harm, and getting along well with other students and adults. Part III provides information on use of the data throughout the state.
2

Part 1: Student Drug Use Patterns
Where Students Use Drugs*
Key Findings: Overall, at home or at a friend's house were the most popular places to use alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana. Sixth graders were also equally likely to report using alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana at an "other" location. School was the place least commonly reported as where friends used drugs or alcohol, although being offered, given, or
sold drugs on school property within the past 12 months was reported by 2.9% of 6th graders, 11.2% of eighth graders, 21.3% of tenth graders, and 20.6% of twelfth graders.

Percent (%) Percent (%)
Percent (%)

Location of Friends' Alcohol Use by Grade

60

50

47 40

40

30

22

20

10 6

0
Home

6th 8th 10th 12th
57
45 36

78 13

13 17 5 1

20 4

16 16 4

Scho o l

Car

Friend's Ho use

Other

Location of Friends' Tobacco Use by Grade

60

50
41

40

32

30

20

16

10 4

0
Home

6th 8th 10th 12th

21 18 5 1 Scho o l

39 25
7 2
Car

42 32
14 3 Friend's Ho use

34 27 14 4
Other

Location of Friends' Marijuana Use by Grade

60

50

40

35

30

30

20

13

10 2 0

Home

6th 8th 10th 12th
59

11 12 14
Scho o l

29 21
6 1
Car

33
14 2 Friend's Ho use

41 26 13 2
Other

*Students were asked where their friends usually used alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.
3

When Students Use Drugs *
Key Findings: Weekends were the most popular time to use tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana; weeknights were the second most popular
time.

Percent (%) Percent (%)
Percent (%)

When Friends Use Tobacco by Grade

6th 8th 10th 12th

60

50

43

40

34

32

30

22

20

10

6 1

16 18 14

99 14

14 3

0

On the way to During scho o l On the way ho me Weeknights

scho o l

fro m scho o l

50 40
21 5
Weekends

When Friends Use Alcohol by Grade

80

70

60

50

40

30

20 10

1 3 78

0

On the way to

s cho o l

6th 8th 10th 12th

1 26 6

1 4 99

23 26 13 3

During schoo l On the way home from scho ol

Weeknights

71 60
32 7
Weekends

When Friends Use Marijuana by Grade

60

50

40

30

21

20

15

10 1 5

0

On the way to

scho o l

6th 8th 10th 12th

10 11 13

21 16 5 1

34 27
12 2

During scho o l On the way ho me fro m scho o l

Weeknights

49 42
20 3
Weekends

* Students were asked when their friends usually used alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana.
4

Core Measures: Alcohol, Marijuana, and Tobacco Use
Key Findings: The percent of students who reported using alcohol within the past 30 days increased with increasing grade. The percent of students who reported using marijuana within the past 30 days increased with increasing grade. The percent of students who reported using tobacco within the past 30 days increased with increasing grade. Alcohol use was reported most frequently followed by tobacco and marijuana use.

Percent (%)

Alcohol and Drug Use in Past 30 Days by Grade
6th 8th 10th 12th

35

31

30

25

22

20

15

14

10

5

5

0 Alcohol

22 15 8 2
Tobacco

14 11 5 1
Marijuana

5

Core Measure: Perceived Risk
Key Findings:
When Georgia students were asked to rate the health risk associated with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drug use, the majority of students across grades, regardless of drug type, considered them to be harmful or very harmful.
As grade level increased, the percentage of students that considered alcohol harmful or very harmful decreased. As grade level increased, the percentage of students that considered tobacco harmful or very harmful increased. The percent of students that considered marijuana harmful or very harmful decreased between middle school and high
school. As grade level increased, the percentage of students that considered other drugs harmful or very harmful increased.

Percent (%)

Students who think drugs or alcohol are harmful

100
83 82 80 78
80

6th 8th 10th 12th

90 93 95 85

84 84 80 76

90 94 96 86

60

40

20

0 Alcohol

Tobacco

Marijuana

Other drugs

6

Core Measure: Adult Disapproval
Key Findings: The majority of students in Georgia either agreed or strongly agreed that adults in their lives would disapprove of their use of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana, regardless of grade. The percent of students who agreed or strongly agreed that adults in their life would disapprove of their use of marijuana increased slightly between middle school and high school. The percent of students who agreed or strongly agreed that adults in their life would disapprove of their use of alcohol decreased slightly between middle school and high school.

Percent (% ) Percent (%)
Percent (% )

Percent who agree that adults in their life would disapprove

of their use of tobacco

100

84

86

87

84

80

60

40

20

0 6

8

10

12

Grade

Percent who agree that adults in their life would disapprove of their use of marijuana

100

84

87

89

89

80

60

40

20

0 6

8

10

12

Grade

Percent who agree that adults in their life would disapprove

of their use of alcohol

100

83

83

82

78

80

60

40

20

0 6

8

10

12

Grade

7

Core Measure: Friends' Disapproval
Key Findings: The majority of students in Georgia either agreed or strongly agreed that their friends would disapprove of their use of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana, regardless of grade, except for use of alcohol by 10th and 12th grade students. The percent of students who felt that their friends would disapprove of their use of alcohol decreased with increasing grade. The percent of students who felt that their friends would disapprove of their use of tobacco decreased with increasing grade. The percent of students who felt that their friends would disapprove of their use of marijuana decreased with increasing grade.

Percent (%)

Percent whose friends would disapprove of use of...

6th 8th 10th 12th

90

81

80

68 70

60 50

50

41

40

30

20

10

0 Alcohol

82 74 64 57
Tobacco

83 75 64 59
Marijuana

8

Core Measure: Average Age of First Use

Alcohol Students in the 10th and 12th grades reported first use of
alcohol at an older age than 6th and 8th grade students.
Smoking Tobacco Students in the 10th and 12th grades reported first use of
smoking tobacco at an older age than 6th and 8th grade students.

Chewing Tobacco Students in the 10th and 12th grades reported first use
of chewing tobacco at an older age than 6th and 8th grade students.
Marijuana Students in the 10th and 12th grades reported first use
of marijuana at an older age than 6th and 8th grade students.

Age (years)

15.0 10.0

13.0 13.0 11.5 10.3

Average age at first use of... 6 8 10 12

12.9 12.9 11.5 10.4

12.9 12.9 10.6 11.5

13.5 13.5 12.2 11.0

5.0

0.0 Alcohol

Smoking Tobacco Chewing Tobacco

Marijuana

9

Part 2: Risk and Protective Factors
Community
Community involvement with and caring for children and youth is consistently associated with positive outcomes among young people including higher self-esteem, greater engagement with school and higher academic achievement, lessened delinquency, lessened substance abuse, better mental health, and better social skills.1
Key Findings The majority of students in Georgia reported that they do not participate in gang activity. The percent of students who reported participating in gang activity was lowest (3%) among 6th graders.

Percent (%)

I have participated in gang activity

10

9

8

7

7

6

6

5

5

4

3

3

2

1

0

6th

8th

10th

12th

Grade

10

School
Prevention programs for junior high and high school students should focus on building general social and academic competence, as well as building drug resistance skills and attitudes.2
Key Findings The majority of students in Georgia reported that they feel successful at school. Students in the 6th grade were slightly more likely to report feeling successful at school. The percent of students that thought about dropping out of school increased with increasing grade. More than one quarter of students in the 8th, 10th and 12th grades reported they had thought about dropping out of school.

Percent (%)

I feel successful at school

100

92

88

87

89

80

60

40

20

0 6th

8th

10th

12th

Grade

I have thought about dropping out of school

35

29

30

30

26

25

20

18

15

10

5

0

6th

8th

10th

12th

Grade

Percent (%)

11

School
Key Findings The percentage of students reporting being bullied, picked on, or teased at school in the past 30 days decreased with increasing
grade.
Sixth graders were most likely to feel safe at school (82.3%), yet were also most likely to have been bullied (21.6%) or picked on or
teased (43.5%) in the past 30 days.
Students in the eighth grade were most likely to report participating in gang activity in the past 30 days (7.0%) compared with 6.1%
of 10th grade students, 4.6% of 12th grade students, and 2.8% of sixth graders.
1-3% of students reported bringing a weapon to school in the past 30 days.

Percent (%)

100
82

80

72 70 73

During the past 30 days...
6th 8th 10th 12th

60

44 38

40 20

22 18 12 8

28 22

37 65

10 13 10 9

1 23 3

0

I feel safe at

I have been

I have been

I have

I have bullied or I brought a

school

bullied or

picked on or participated in threatened other weapon to

threatened at teased at school gang activity

students

school

school

12

Family
A low level of communication between parents and children, poorly defined and poorly communicated expectations for children's behavior, failure to monitor children, excessively severe and inconsistent discipline, and high levels of negative interaction or family conflict are all predictive of increased risk for substance abuse, delinquency, and conduct disorders.3-
Key Findings The majority of students surveyed reported that they felt safe at home.

Percent (%)

I feel safe at home

100

94

92

92

93

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 6

8

Grade

10

12

13

Individual

Students who are depressed or feel isolated from other students and adults in their communities are more likely to abuse drugs or engage in other risky behaviors.8-10 For a program to be most effective at reducing the risk for abusing drugs or engaging in other high risk behavior among students, it must focus on starting early and improving students' social skills, social problem solving skills, academic performance, and sense of belonging to school and community.11
Suicide and Self Harm Students in the 8th and 10th grades were most likely to report considering suicide, attempting suicide, or harming themselves
on purpose. Approximately twice as many students considered suicide than actually attempted suicide.
Getting Along Well With Other Students and Adults The majority of students (89-94%) reported that they get along well with other students and adults. Students in the 10th and 12th grades were more likely than students in the 6th or 8th grades to report that they get along well
with other students and adults.

Percent (%) Percent (%)

In the past 12 months...
6th 8th 10th 12th

14

12 10

10 11 9

8 65

4

2

0

Considered

suicide

565 3

12 11 8
7

Attempted suicide

Harmed myself on purpose

I get along with other students and adults

100

89

89

92

94

80

60

40

20

0 6th

8th

10th

12th

Grade

14

Part 3: Linking Survey Data to Best Practices
"The Georgia Student Health Survey II (GSHS II) provides valuable and essential information to school districts and state agencies that guides the development of prevention and intervention strategies. The GSHS II results and analysis ensure that there is a link between
assessment, strategies, and outcomes."
Garry McGiboney, Ph.D., Associate Superintendent, Georgia Department of Education
Wilkinson County Schools use GSHS II data as part of the needs assessment for grants such as the federal 'Grant to Reduce Alcohol Abuse' (GRAA).
"We use the data collected from the GSHS for several purposes. It is analyzed to see if, and where student needs have changed. I also use some of the data for the driver's education program at Dade County High School. I share the data with the Dade County First Family Collaborative director and coordinate with her to evaluate programs and services available to meet our students' needs."
Tracy Linder Blevins, Federal Programs / Curriculum Director, Dade County School System
"We use the report in deciding what to fund for the next year. For example we are continuing the Student Assistance Program at our high school based on the data. The SAP works with students who deal with drug and alcohol issues. We are also using the data as a foundation for the PE/Health Instructors Professional Learning Community this year. I also share the data with the System Nutritional Director and she uses it to plan meals and after school snacks."
Kathy Pruett, Curriculum Director, Madison County Schools
"From last year's GSHS II, we realized our students do not feel as safe as we hoped they would feel, so the Superintendent and I created an additional online survey in order to pinpoint areas we needed to address for each school. The results of the survey were given to each principal who then came up with a plan to address areas of concern. Each principal's plan was then presented to our Local Board of Education at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year."
Ardith Bates, Director of Student Support Services, Murray County Schools
"We have found the Georgia Student Health Survey to be a valuable source of relevant and timely data to use for making vital student service decisions. The data can be used as a metric for measuring change and program evaluation. We rely upon these statistics to analyze trends and patterns that help us to make informed decisions regarding the identification of groups of students that may not be making significant gains toward bridging existing deficiencies. I have used it to respond to program audits, grant writing and program reporting."
Carol Rountree, Director of Student Services, Richmond County Schools
15

Savannah Chatham County Public Schools System has utilized the survey data to develop a smoke-free policy, conduct a student health symposium at Memorial Hospital, develop a tobacco-free kit and student media resources covering alcohol, tobacco, and character education for all middle and high school students, and hold a bullying workshop and seminar.
Mike Stubbs, Assistant Director of Health, PE, and Athletics - Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools
Upon receiving the results of the survey, each member of the Pike County Schools Advisory Team reviews and makes provisions in regards to their plans for the year which include budgeting/planning. The school counselors use the data in developing and implementing programs into our K-12 curriculum. Analysis of the data has provided great collaboration framework for our system in meeting the needs of our students. Local agencies such as local law enforcement, family connections (Y.E.S. team) and the health department have supported our efforts in information sharing and professional learning opportunities.
Gregory T. Greene, Director of Pupil Services - Pike County Schools
Columbia and Richmond County school boards strengthened policies that prohibit tobacco products on school grounds. These new policies expand the definition of tobacco products (to be more inclusive of chewing tobacco), tobacco use, and school property and stipulate that tobacco use is prohibited on school grounds 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The federal Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking and the Augusta Partnership for Children met to discuss the legal and physical consequences of underage drinking, what colleges are doing to stop it, and what parents can do to prevent it.12
Based on the results of GSHS II, Forsyth County Schools have enacted a number of scientifically-based programs and prevention activities in order to ensure a safe and drug-free environment, such as the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program, which all teenagers under the age of 18 must complete in order to receive their Class D drivers' license; the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, which includes activities based at the school, class, and individual levels; and Second Step, a school-based social skills curriculum that teaches children to change the attitudes and behaviors that contribute to violence.13
16

Methods
The purpose of the Georgia Student Health Survey II (GSHS II) is to assist in the identification of safety and health issues that may impact student achievement so that schools and school districts can develop and implement prevention and intervention strategies targeted to specific issues identified by the GSHS II survey results.
Questionnaire Development
Two self-administered, anonymous questionnaires were developed by the Georgia Department of Education for the GSHS II. One questionnaire was developed for middle school students and contained 113 items. The other questionnaire was developed for high school students and contained 120 items. Both questionnaires covered the following topics: school climate, alcohol and other drug use, nutrition and dietary behaviors, graduation, dropping out, suicide, and self-harm. Additionally, the high school questionnaire tested students' knowledge of Georgia's driving laws for new drivers.
Data Collection
Recruitment of School Districts and Schools
The Georgia Department of Education sent a letter regarding GSHS II to superintendents and school principals of all Georgia schools that had 6th, 8th, 10th, or 12th grades. The letter communicated that the survey was on-line, would take about twenty minutes to administer, was completely anonymous, and that the Safe and Drug-Free Schools coordinators would contact them and assist in the administration. Safe and Drug-Free Schools coordinators were sent individual web addresses for every school and were asked to provide the addresses to the schools and assist them in survey administration.
Classroom-level Data Collection
The 2007-2008 GSHS II was administered to 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders enrolled in the Georgia Public School System between October 1 and October 31, 2007. Each school was given the option to administer the survey on their own schedule/time frame. Most schools administered the surveys in their computer lab. The technology person in charge of the computer lab was given the task of scheduling the classes to come in and take the survey. Each class would be given a time to take the survey in the computer lab during which each student would go to a computer that already had the survey up and running. Students took approximately 20 minutes to take the survey. After completion of the survey, the computer would roll back to the beginning of the survey and would be ready and available for the next class to come take the survey. Each school in each district was given a predetermined URL address.
Response Rates
Approximately 94% of the public school systems participated in the survey, 171 school systems out of 181. Ninety-seven percent of public middle schools and high schools participated, 787 out of 815 schools. The total number of students that participated in the survey was 243,798. Surveys from 11,888 (4.9%) participants were excluded either because they were incomplete or because they had inconsistent responses on a series of validity check questions. The resulting number of valid surveys that were included in analysis was 231,910. The public school student enrollment for grades 6, 8, 10, 12 during the 2007-2008 school year was 466,199, and thus the student response rate in the survey was 49.7%.
17

Summary
When compared with students across the nation, fewer Georgia students reported using smoking tobacco, chewing
tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana within the past 30 days, regardless of grade.
Students that used drugs or alcohol were most likely to use them at home or at a friend's home. Being offered, given, or sold drugs on school property within the past 12 months was reported more frequently among high
school students than among middle school students.
Weekends were the most popular time to use tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana. The percent of students who reported using alcohol, marijuana, or tobacco in the past 30 days increased with increasing
grade.
The majority of students, regardless of grade, considered alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drug use to be harmful to
their health.
The majority of students in Georgia either agreed or strongly agreed that their friends and adults in their lives would
disapprove of their use of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana, regardless of grade.
For those that reported using drugs or alcohol, initiation of use occurred between ages 10-14. The majority of students in Georgia reported that they do not participate in gang activity. The majority of students in Georgia reported that they feel successful at school. The majority of students in Georgia feel safe at school. More than one quarter of students in the 8th, 10th and 12th grades reported that they had thought about dropping out of
school.
Students in the 8th and 10th grades were most likely to report considering suicide, attempting suicide, or harming themselves
on purpose.
The majority of students reported that they got along well with other students and adults.
18

References
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4. Farrington, D. P., Gallagher, B., Morley, L., Ledger, R. J., & West, D. J. (1985). Cambridge study in delinquent development: Long-term follow-up. Cambridge: Cambridge University.
5. Hawkins, J. D., Catalano, R. F., & Miller, J. Y. (1992). Risk and protective factors for alcohol and other drug problems in adolescence and early adulthood: Implications for substance abuse prevention. Psychological Bulletin, 112, 64105.
6. Kandel, D. B., & Andrews, K. (1987). Processes of adolescent socialization by parents and peers. The International Journal of the Addictions, 22, 319342.
7. Patterson, G. R., & Dishion, T. J. (1985). Contributions of families and peers to delinquency. Criminology, 23, 6379. 8. O'Leary, J. & Covell, K. (2002). The tar ponds kids: Toxic environments and adolescent well-being. Canadian Journal of
Behavioral Science, 31(1), 34-43. 9. Scales, P.C., Benson, P.L., Roehlkepartain, E.C., Hintz, N.R., Sullivan, T.K. & Mannes, M. (2001). The role of
neighborhood and community in building developmental assets for children and youth: A national study of social norms among American adults. Journal of Community Psychology. 29 (6), 703-727. 10. D'Emidio-Caston, M. & Brown, J.H. (1998). The other side of the story. Student narratives on the California Drug Alcohol and Tobacco Education Programs. Evaluation Review, 22 (1), 95-117. 11. Arthur, M. W. & Blitz, C. (2000). Bridging the gap between science and practice in substance abuse prevention through needs assessment and strategic community planning, Journal of Community Psychology. 28 (3), 241-155. 12. Dicks, Nikasha. Group address issues among kids. August Chronical: March 26, 2008. Accessed online on October 21, 2008 at: http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/032608/met_192291.shtml 13. Forsyth County Schools. Safe and Drug Free Schools. Accessed online on October 21, 2008 at: http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/129410616214855467/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=74047&129 410616214855467Nav=|&NodeID=1388
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