Discussion & Implications for Policy
THE QUESTIONNAIRE
46. Age at which first
It is worth insisting on the importance of undertaking analyses that match the structural complexity of the situation under study. Thanks to developments in biology, psychology, and sociology, we know today that consumption problems are systemic. They involve a system of interactions and not simply relationships between pairs of variables.
Univariate analyses are not much help in identifying associated factors. Bivariate analyses generate more information, but cannot analyze interdependence systems among variables.
Certain techniques, however, such as discriminatory analysis, do allow systematic analysis of these interdependencies. In these techniques, the main idea is to determine 2 groups from the responses provided by the respondents: abstainers and consumers. The point is then to discover which characteristics of all those investigated allow a random individual to be classified in one of these groups with the lowest margin of error. By carefully selecting the coding or scale of measurement of the characteristics, the analysis builds a discriminatory function from the characteristics, which classifies respondents according to their score on that scale. None of the characteristics of the function is, by itself, an indicator of abstinence or consumption since it is the interaction of all of them that provides a score for the classification decision.
a. Univariate analysis for SIDUC:
In general, SIDUC needs descriptive information on all the variables that are found in the standardized portion of the questionnaire, for the country, the capital and other cities.
In the case of variables relating to illegal substance consumption, the structure is as follows:
45. Have you consumed
Therefore, the first output table regarding these variables refers to lifetime, annual and monthly prevalence for each of the substances the questionnaire examines.
The second output table, however, refers to the prevalence of consumption of illegal substances no matter which the drug is. On this point, for a valid comparison to be achieved, it is important to specify the following in order to derive this important variable in the same manner from the different surveys undertaken.
A respondent who has consumed a substance during the last 30 days must necessarily indicate that he/she has done so during the last 12 months and, therefore, also sometime in his/her life.
The replies for each of the products covered thus allow the proportion of consumers and non-consumers of this product to be calculated, and so forth for the remainder.
Marijuana, etc.
Consumer Sometime in lifetime
During the past year
During the past 30 days
Coding
Type 1 Yes Yes Yes Consumer
Type 2 Yes Yes No Consumer
Type 3 Yes No No Consumer
Abstainer No No No Abstainer
This analysis allows the figures for lifetime, annual and monthly prevalence to be obtained for each of the drugs. But to ascertain the lifetime prevalence of consumption of any drug, these values may not be simply added together. For example, if the lifetime prevalence of marijuana is 5%; that of basic cocaine paste, 4%, and that of cocaine, 3%, we cannot say that the lifetime prevalence of these 3 products is 12%. The reason for this is that in the basic paste consumption prevalence case an individual might be found who is also counted in marijuana consumption prevalence. Indeed, it is the existence of polyconsumers that makes addition of prevalence for each of the products under study not possible. It is therefore necessary to re-codify these variables in the following manner:
Thus, the individuals who consumed 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 of the 5 products investigated are considered to be consumers, whichever the drug may be. It is therefore enough to count the proportion of these respondents with regard to those who consumed none of those drugs to obtain the information that SIDUC will compare among countries.
Cigarettes, alcohol, and psychotropic medication are included in this processing so the drugs involved are both the legal and illegal ones as well as industrial solvents and natural or indigenous drugs.
b. Bivariate analyses for SIDUC:
If regional comparisons are to be made, it is important that CICAD receive, besides the survey database, the following analyses.
§ Characteristics of the school
§ Marital status of parents
§ Who he/she lives with
§ Marital status of respondent
§ Number of working hours
§ Job situation of father
§ Job situation of mother
§ Educational level of father
§ Educational level of mother
§ Academic problems
§ Grades and courses repeated
§ Disciplinary problems
§ Expulsion
§ Consumption of cigarettes (lifetime, past year, and past month)
§ Consumption of alcohol (lifetime, past year, and past month
§ Alcoholic excesses during past month
§ Consumption of medication
§ Drug consumption (by type of drug and whichever drug it may be)
§ Perception of the gravity of PAS
§ Alcohol-using friends
§ Illegal drug-using friends
§ Ease of access
§ Possibility of trying
§ Curiosity to try
§ Rating of programs received
§ Personal impact of these programs received
§ Importance of prevention programs
c. Multivariate analyses
As pointed out above, the national professional teams should attach special importance to multivariate analysis of the survey database since these techniques will allow more precise knowledge of the components of the consumption risk equation.
6.8 PERIODICITY
Periodicity of measurement must be high, for example every 2 years. This approach is not based so much on the descriptive information which the indicator would provide, which is in itself important, but above all on the importance of being able to modify the explanatory portion of the questionnaire. Indeed, not all the hypotheses made are proven. Those that are not, therefore, should be eliminated in the following application of the survey and be replaced by new ones that will not all be proven either. However, in this recurrent process, the number of variables that allow groups to be discriminated gradually increases. Once a good discrimination is obtained, in statistical terms, it will be possible to deliver for prevention purposes a really useful instrument for identifying students who are at greater risk.
Appendix C – SIDUC School Survey Questionnaire
SURVEY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS STANDARDIZED QUESTIONNAIRE 2006
Good day!
We are carrying out a school survey in different countries on the topic of public health. The objective is to obtain information to address, in the best way possible, the problems related to public health in these countries. Your cooperation in this survey would be of great value to this effect. Your answers are absolutely confidential and are completely anonymous, thus we ask you to respond very honestly.
1. COUNTRY 2. Parish 3. CONTROL NUMBER
4. Type of School
1. Public 2. Private 3. Other(specify)
…...
5. Day, evening or night classes?
1. Day
10. What is your parents’ marital status? (in relation to each other)
12. What is the highest level of school that your mother completed?
1. None 4. Tertiary/ College
2.Primary 5. University
3. Secondary
13. What is the highest level of school that your father completed?
1. None 4. Tertiary/ College
2.Primary 5. University
3. Secondary 14. If you are working as well as studying, how
many hours do you work per week?
1. Do not work
2. Work approximately ……… hours per week
15. How likely is it that you will finish high school?
1. Very likely 2. Likely
3. Not very likely 4. Impossible
5. Don’t know 16. How likely is that you will go to University?
1. Very likely 2. Likely
3. Not very likely 4. Impossible
17. How many school years have you had to repeat during the course of your studies?
1. None
2. One
3. Two or more
18. Have you ever had behavioral and discipline problems during your school years? (For example detentions and suspensions)
1. Never
2. Few times
3. Frequently
19. In your opinion, how harmful are the following to your health?
1. 1. Smoking cigarettes sometimes
2. Smoking cigarettes frequently 3. Drinking alcoholic beverages
frequently 4. Getting drunk
5. Taking tranquilizers / stimulants without medical prescription sometimes
6. Taking tranquilizers / stimulants without medical prescription frequently
7. Inhaling solvents sometimes 8. Inhaling solvents frequently
9. Smoking marijuana sometimes
10. Smoking marijuana frequently
11. Consuming cocaine or crack sometimes
12. Consuming cocaine or crack frequently
13. Consuming coca paste sometimes 14. Consuming coca paste frequently 15. Consuming ecstasy sometimes
16. Consuming ecstasy frequently
17. Inhaling Second hand cigarette smoke
18. Inhaling Second hand marijuana smoke
20. Have you ever smoked cigarettes?
1. Yes 2. No (skip to #28)
21. How old were you when you smoked for the first
time?
Years old
22. When was the first time you smoked cigarettes?
0. Never (skip to #28)
23. Have you smoked cigarettes in the past 12 months?
1. During the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, less than 1 year ago
3. More than a year ago
1. Yes 2. No (skip to #28)
24. Have you smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days?
1. Yes 2. No (skip to #28)
25. Approximately, how many cigarettes have you smoked a day in the past month?
1. 1 to 5 2. 6 to 10
3. 11 to 20 4. More than 20 26. Where do you most often smoke cigarettes?
1. At home 4. At a friend’s house
2. At school 5. At sporting events
3.On the block 6. At other social events
27. From whom/where do you usually get cigarettes?
1. Friends 4. Other relative(s)
2. Parents 5. Street vendor
3. Brother/sister 6. Shop
28. Have you ever consumed alcoholic beverages?
1. Yes 2. No (skip to #38)
29. How old were you when you consumed an alcoholic beverage for the first time?
Years old
30. When was the first time you consumed an alcoholic beverage?
0. Never (skip to #38)
1. During the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, less than 1 year ago
3. More than a year ago
31. Have you consumed alcoholic beverages in the past 12 months?
1. Yes 2. No (skip to #38)
32. Have you consumed alcoholic beverages in the past
30 days?
1. Yes 2. No (skip to #38)
33. How many days have you drank too much and got drunk in the past month?
Days
34. Where do you most often drink alcohol?
1. At home 4. At a friend’s house
2. At school 5. At sporting events
3.On the block 6. At other social events
35. From whom/where do you usually get alcohol?
1. Friends 4. Other relative(s)
2. Parents 5. Street vendor
3. Brother/sister 6. Shop
36.In the past 30 days, what type of alcoholic beverage did you consume, and with what frequency?
INDICATE THE ANSWER FOR EACH DRUG WITH AN (X)
1. Daily 2. Weekends 3. Some
week days 4. Only in social events 1 Beer ,Guinness
2 Wine
3 Hard liquor (rum, ponche caribe, rum punch, whisky, liquors))
4 Shandy
37. In the past 2 weeks, how many times have you consumed 5 alcoholic drinks or more in one sitting?
3. Between 2 and 3 times 4. Between 4 and 5 times
5. More than 5 times
38 . How easy would it be to obtain to the following drugs?
INDICATE THE ANSWER FOR EACH DRUG WITH AN (X) Easy Difficult Impossible to obtain Don’t
that you were offered any of these drugs, either to buy or to consume?
INDICATE WITH (x) WHAT CORRESPONDS FOR EACH DRUG
5. Crack
42. Have you ever consumed any of these substances?
INDICATE THE ANSWER FOR EACH DRUG WITH AN (X)
NO YES
43. How old were you when you first tried?
1. Tranquilizers without medical prescription
Years old 2. Stimulants without medical prescription
Years old 3. Inhalants (EG. SOLVENTS)
Years old
40. Have you ever been curious about trying an illicit drug?
¨ 1. No
¨ 2. Not sure
¨ 3. Yes
41. If you had the opportunity, would you try an illicit drug?
¨ 1. No
¨ 2. Not Sure
¨ 3. Yes
Years old
44a. When was the first time you tried inhalants (EG.
SOLVENTS)?
0. Never (skip to #45a)
1. In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More 1 year ago
44b. Have you consumed inhalants in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (skip to #45a)
44c. With what frequency have you consumed inhalants?
1. Only once
2. Sometimes in the past 12 months
3. Sometimes during the month
4. Sometimes during the week
5. Daily
44d. Have you consumed inhalants in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No
45a. When was the first time you tried Marijuana?
0. Never (skip to #46a)
1. . In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More 1 year ago
45b. Have you consumed marijuana in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (skip to #46a)
45c. With what frequency have you used Marijuana?
1. Only once
2. Sometimes in the past 12 months
3. Sometimes during the month
4. Sometimes during the week
5. Daily
45d. Have you consumed marijuana in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No
45e. Where do you most often use marijuana? 45f. From whom/where do you usually get marijuana?
1. Friends 4. Other relative(s)
2. Parents 5. Street pusher
3. Brother/sister 6. Other _________
1. At home 4. At a friend’s house
2. At school 5. At sporting events
3.On the block 6. At other social events
46a. When was the first time you tried cocaine?
0. Never (skip to #47a)
1. In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More than 1 year ago
46b. Have you consumed cocaine in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (skip to #47a)
46c. With what frequency have you used cocaine?
1. Only once
2. Sometimes in the past 12 months
3. Sometimes during the month
4. Sometimes during the week
5. Daily
46d. Have you consumed cocaine in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No
46e. Where do you most often use cocaine?
1. At home 4. At a friend’s house
2. At school 5. At sporting events
3.On the block 6. At other social events
46f. From whom/where do you usually get cocaine?
1. Friends 4. Other relative(s)
2. Parents 5. Street pusher
3. Brother/sister 6. Other _________
47a When was the first time you tried coca paste?
0. Never (skip to #48a)
1. In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More than 1 year ago
47b. Have you consumed coca paste in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (skip to #48a)
47c. With what frequency have you used coca paste?
1. Only once
2. Sometimes in the past 12 months
3. Sometimes during the month
4. Sometimes during the week
5. Daily
47d. Have you consumed coca paste in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No
50a. When was the first time you tried tranquilizers without medical prescription?
0. I have never consumed stimulants without medical prescription (END)
1. In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More than 1 year ago
50b. Have you consumed tranquilizers without medical prescription in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (END)
50c. Have you consumed tranquilizers without medical prescription in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No (END) 48a When was the first time you tried crack?
0. Never (skip to #49a)
48c. With what frequency have you used crack?
1. Only once
2. Sometimes in the past 12 months
3. Sometimes during the month
4. Sometimes during the week
5. Daily
48d. Have you consumed crack in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No
49a. When was the first time you tried other drugs?
0. I have never tried other drugs (skip to #50a)
1. In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More than 1 year ago
49b. Have you consumed other drugs in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (skip to #50a)
49c. With what frequency have you used other drugs?
1. Only once
2. Sometimes in the past 12 months
3. Sometimes during the month
4. Sometimes during the week
5. Daily
49d. Have you consumed other drugs in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No
50d. In the past 30 days, how many days did you consume tranquilizers without medical prescription?
Days
50e. How did you have access to the tranquilizers you consumed?
1. From the doctor 2. in the street
3. At home 4. From a friend
5. At the pharmacy 6. Other
THANK YOU VERY MUCH
________________________
51a. When was the first time you tried stimulants without medical prescription?
0. I have never consumed stimulants without medical prescription (END)
1. In the past 30 days
2. More than 1 month ago, but less than 1 year ago
3. More than 1 year ago
51b. Have you consumed stimulants without medical prescription in the past 12 months?
1. Yes
2. No (END)
51c. Have you consumed stimulants without medical prescription in the past 30 days?
1. Yes
2. No (END) 51d. In the past 30 days, how many days did you
consume stimulants without medical prescription?
Days
51e. How did you have access to the stimulants you consumed?
1. From the doctor 2. in the street
3. At home 4. From a friend
5. At the pharmacy 6. Other
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