SUBSTANCE AND ALCOHOL ABUSE HIGH IN YOUTH: SAYS SURVEY

Medical health officer Dr. Mark Vooght says alcohol use by youth is the
most disturbing aspect of a comprehensive survey in the Five Hills Health
Region.

The lifestyles survey was released at a Thursday workshop of social, health
and education agencies, with presentations on various issues.

"What stood out for me was some specific substance use and alcohol, but
also the interaction of use of alcohol and other substances at parties," he
said.

According to the survey, almost nine in 10 males, aged 10 to 14, have been
at parties where street drugs and alcohol were used. More than two-thirds
said that drug use made them more sexually active. Half admitted to driving
after doing drugs and drinking alcohol.

"It's quite significant," said Vooght. "How that impairs their senses and
puts people at risk of sexual activity and driving while under the
influence is a concern." Risks taken by young people also disturb him.

"We had about 55 per cent of the 15 to 19 year age group that didn't worry
about sexually transmitted diseases," said Vooght.

"We mentioned the rising rates of sexually transmitted infections in all
age groups. It's something we are concerned about in youth and young people
in their 20s because it is quite a silent disease."

Without regular screening of sexually active people, clamydia, for example,
can cause infertility and pelvic infections.

The proportion of young people not knowing where to go to for substance
abuse help varied from 33 per cent for urban males, ages 15 to 19, to 66
per cent for rural males, ages 10 to 14.

Vooght said the statistics tell him there is a need for better access to
information. Children, living in families with substance abuse, were
especially concerned.

"We need to have details available . . . but more especially so they can
find some links to someone who can start them on the right track," said Vooght.

"On the other hand, what was very encouraging was that 93 per cent said
birth control and preventing sexually transmitted diseases is a shared
responsibility."

Also, the health region teen pregnancy rate of eight per cent is one-fifth
below the provincial rate.

The survey found one-third of males and half of females, ages 13 to 18,
have considered suicide at some point. Most felt asking for help wouldn't
make a difference.

Another of the survey's findings was that about half the respondents
exercised daily, but just under 10 per cent don't ever. Also, one-quarter
of males and 63 per cent of females in the 15 to 19 age group felt they
needed to lose weight.

About half the students felt useless at times, and about one-third wished
they had more respect for themselves.

Vooght was surprised at responses from 11 rural and 11 urban schools on
gambling. Thirty-two per cent of males and 10 per cent of females, ages 10
to 14 have gambled in the past year. That increases to 68 per cent of males
and 43 per cent of females, ages 15 to 19. Yet only one in five was legally
old enough to gamble.