Comparison of substance use trends and consequences among Virgin Islands public high school students and their US mainland counterparts: Results of the 2006 Virgin Islands Youth Risk Behavior Survey

The Virgin Islands Youth Risk Behavior Survey (VIYRBS), jointly administered by the VI Departments of Health and Education in May, 2006 to all available students in all four VI public high schools, was a key component of a prevention needs assessment to inform prevention planning efforts supported by the US Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) State Incentive Grant (SIG) program.

We derived 112 survey items on substance use behaviors, risk and protective factors, and attitudes/perceptions from the CDC YRBS and CSAP's Substance Abuse Risk and Protective Factor Student Survey. We calculated weighted (grade, race, and gender) proportions of affirmative responses to each item and applied Fleiss confidence bands. We plotted use rates from 1993 to 2006 using publicly-available CDC YRBS data.

The survey sample was demographically comparable to that of recent CDC YRBS surveys. There were 2919 valid surveys (response rate=61.2%). Median respondent age was 16; there were more 9th graders (n=1010, 34.6%) and fewer 12th graders (n=487, 16.7%); 2544 (87.2%) were African-American; and 1226 (42.0%) were males. Alcohol was used most often (42.1%), followed by marijuana (17.4%), and cigarettes (3.1%). VI students initiate alcohol and marijuana use earlier than US students but do not report higher current or risky use rates or higher illicit substance use rates, despite ubiquitous rum products and advertising, heavy adult alcohol use, and highly prevalent adult ATOD-related consequences.

VI cultural norms may tolerate early experimentation but discourage continued use. Repeat survey administration in 2007 will help verify these use rates, patterns, and trends.