My TOWN Coalition - Community Survey Results

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Community Attitudes About

Youth Substance Use

My TOWN,

A Coalition Working to Prevent Youth Substance Use

Hoquiam, WA

Winter 2014

Report prepared by

Brianne Probasco,

Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department


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Community Attitudes About Youth Substance Abuse My TOWN Coalition

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Introduction

In 2013, Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department received

multi-year funding from Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery to help the community of Hoquiam develop

a plan to reduce underage alcohol use and its resulting consequences.

The My TOWN Coalition was formed to guide the planning process. My TOWN

members include representatives from:

Hoquiam School District Hoquiam businesses YMCA of Grays Harbor Hoquiam Police Department Washington Traffic Safety National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Educational Service District (ESD) 113/True North members of the faith community Grays Harbor County Juvenile Department substance abuse treatment professionals parents and other interested citizens

In November 2013, the My TOWN Coalition asked community residents aged 18 or

older to complete a survey about youth substance use. The information collected by

the survey is summarized in this report and will be used by the My TOWN Coalition to

inform the priorities of their plan to reduce underage alcohol use and its resulting

consequences.


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Methods

Survey instrument

The original survey instrument was developed by Washington State Department ofSocial and Health Services Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. It consists of 24

questions related to demographics, opinions about youth substance use, knowledge

about marijuana, and parenting practices. The My TOWN coalition added two

additional questions regarding heroin and methamphetamine use among local youth. A

copy of the survey instrument is in Appendix A.

Survey distribution

Copies of the survey were made available in both English and Spanish at Hoquiam CityHall, all Hoquiam School District schools, and the Hometown Sanitation office.

An online version of the survey in both English and Spanish was also made available.

Local partners, including Grays Harbor Radio, The Daily World newspaper, City of

Hoquiam, and Grays Harbor County Public Health and Social Services Department,

posted a link to the survey on their websites.

Hometown Sanitation, Hoquiams waste management service provider,mailed

information about the survey, including the web address of the online version, to all of

its customers in their November bill. Students of Hoquiam High School also handed out

informational postcards during community canvasing for a local food drive.

Residents were able to complete the survey between November 1 November 30.

Data analysis

Data were stored and analyzed with SurveyMonkey software.


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Results

Demographics

City of residence67% of respondents lived in Hoquiam, 18% lived in Aberdeen, 6% lived in Montesano,

and 8% lived in various other parts of Grays Harbor County. 1% of respondents lived

outside of Grays Harbor County.

Age of respondent

4% of respondents were 18-24 years old, 29% were 25-44 years old, and 67% were 45+

years old.

Age of respondents children

40% of respondents had children 18 years old or younger. Of these, 56% had children

10 years old or younger, 36% had children 11-14 years old, and 45% had children 15-18

years old.

Gender

69% of respondents were female; 31% were male.

Race/ethnicity94% of respondents were white/Caucasian, 4% were Native American/Alaska Native, and

3% were Hispanic or Latino.

Education

43% of respondents had a college or graduate degree, 37% had completed some

college, 17% had completed high school, and 3% had not completed high school.


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Opinions about youth substance use

Seriousness of issues

Most respondents felt that youth substance use and youth mental health issues were a

moderate to serious problem in the community.

IssueRespondents indicating that the issue

is at least a moderate problem in the community.

Alcohol use 86%

Marijuana use 80%

Tobacco use 80%

Depression 79%

Meth 76%

Driving under the influence 73%

Prescription drug abuse 73%

Heroin 71%

Suicide 68%

Opinions about law enforcement

77% of respondents agreed that law enforcement personnel are effective in their

response to calls and requests about underage alcohol and drug use at parties or

gatherings.

Opinions about legal consequences for youth that use alcohol or marijuana

Most respondents thought that youth should receive legal consequences if they usealcohol or marijuana.

Respondents indicating that youth should receive the

consequence if caught using

Legal consequence alcohol. marijuana.

Parents/caregivers should be

notified.94% 90%

Youth should be required to

complete community service.77% 78%

The school should be notified

(student may have broken

athletic department policies).

65% 66%

Youths driver license should be

suspended.66% 61%

Youth should receive a fine. 47% 54%

Youth should receive a jail

sentence.20% 20%


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Opinions about legal consequences for adults that provide alcohol or marijuana to

underage youth

Most respondents thought that adults should receive legal consequences if they provide

alcohol or marijuana to underage youth.

Respondents indicating that adults should receive theconsequence if caught giving underage youth

Legal consequence alcohol. marijuana.

Adults should receive a fine. 84% 86%

Adults should be required to complete a

diversion program or community service.73% 75%

Adults should receive a jail sentence. 53% 53%

The parents/guardians of the youth caught

using alcohol or marijuana should receive a

fine.

35% 38%

Knowledge and opinions about marijuana

Respondents were asked to share their knowledge and opinions about a variety of

issues related to marijuana and the recent legislation making recreational use of

marijuana legal for adults 21+ years old in Washington state.

Respondents who believe the

statement is

Statement true. false. Correct

Answer

Now that marijuana is legal it is OK for youth to havesmall amounts.

2% 98% False

Marijuana paraphernalia is now legal and OK for youth

to have in school.1% 99% False

It is a felony to provide marijuana to a minor, even to

your own kids at home.76% 24% True

Since marijuana is now available in health care settings,

that means it is not harmful.7% 93% False

Eating food with marijuana in it is safer because you are

not taking in smoke.15% 85% False

1

Only people 21 and older can possess marijuana. 81% 20% True2

Small amounts of marijuana can be used in public. 22% 78% FalseNow that marijuana is legal, Washington State will no

longer have medical marijuana regulations.5% 95% False

1While smoking marijuana may promote damage to the lungs, the effects of marijuana on the brain are

the same regardless of whether it is smoked or eaten.2In reference to marijuana used for recreational purposes, not medical purposes.


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Respondents who

think it is NOT

okay for teenagers

to drink at parties,

95%

Respondents who

think it IS okay for

teenagers to drink

at parties, 5%

Prescription drugs

Respondents were asked about how they manage their familys prescription drugs. 55%

said that, at least sometimes, they have prescription drugs in their house that they no

longer need and 50% said they dont always know where they can get rid of prescription

drugs that they no longer need. 90% said that when their child has a prescription drug

they always monitor their childs use of the drug.

Parenting practices and opinions

Allowing youth to drink alcohol

Almost all respondents think it is NOT okay for teenagers to drink alcohol.

19% of respondents said they do not keep ANY alcohol in their home and another 77%

said they NEVER allow youth to drink alcohol in their home. 2% said they allow youth to

drink alcohol in their home on special occasions. Another 2% said they allow their own

children to drink alcohol in their home, but not their childrens friends. 1% said they

allow youth to drink alcohol in their home only under supervision. 0% said they allow

youth to drink alcohol in their home without any restrictions.

95% believe it is NEVER okay for teenagers to drink at parties.


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81% believe it is NEVER okay for parents to offer their teenaged children alcoholic drinks

in their home.

Although most respondents have a strict stance AGAINST underage drinking, they think

that other adults are more relaxed about allowing youth to drink alcohol. 51% thought

that most adults in the community feel it is okay for parents to offer their teenage

children alcoholic drinks in their own home at least on special occasions.

Talking to their children about alcohol and marijuana

Of respondents with children between the ages of 10-18, 95% have talked with their

children about alcohol use in the last three months and 90% have talked about

marijuana use in the last three months.

Almost all respondents (98%) told their children that they should not use alcohol or

marijuana.

Monitoring their children

Most respondents with children between the ages of 10-18 closely monitor their

children when they go out with friends in the evenings or on weekends. 89% always askwhom their children will be with and, at least most of the time, 94% check to see if there

will be adult supervision, 96% set a curfew, and 61% check their children for signs of

substance use when they get home.

Respondents

who think it is

NOT okay for

parents to offer

their teenage

children alcohol

81%

Respondents

who think it IS

okay for parents

to offer their

teenage

children alcohol

19%


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Next steps

The My TOWN Coalition will use the information from the community survey, along with

other Hoquiam-specific data, to guide a prioritization process. My TOWN will then take

their findings to the community at large to seek input on specific strategies to reduce

underage alcohol use and its resulting consequences.

For more information

If you would like to learn more about this report or the My TOWN Coalition, contact

Wilma Weber, Public Health Educatorat [email protected] or (360) 500-

4069.


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Appendix ASurvey instrument


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Appendix A contd


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Appendix A contd


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Appendix A contd

My TOWN Coalition - Community Survey Results

Documents

Transcript of My TOWN Coalition - Community Survey Results