Trends in violence-related behavior among high school students who consume alcohol on and off school property

background: Violence and alcohol use are major public health problems among youth. This study analyzed trends in violence-related behavior among high school students reporting drinking alcohol on and off school property.

methods: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System data from 1993-2011 were analyzed to identify trends in violence-related behavior (i.e., carried weapon at school, fighting at school, feeling unsafe at school or on the way to or from school) by setting of alcohol consumption. SAS-callable SUDAAN v11.0.1 was used for data analyses and significant breaks in linear trends were identified using JoinPoint v4.1.0.

results/outcomes: Of 147,419 students surveyed, 8,413 (5.7%) reported drinking at school, and 54,496 (37.0%) off-school property. From 1993-1999, there was a significant (p<0.01) decrease for carrying a weapon on school property among students who drank alcohol at school and those who drank off-school property. From 1993-2001 students who drank at school reported a significant (p<0.01) decrease in fighting on school property; however, fighting significantly (p<0.05) increased for this group from 2001-2011. Fighting among students who drank off-school property significantly (p<0.0001) decreased from 1993-2011. Among students who drank (at school and off-school property), there was a significant (p<0.01) increase in youth who reported feeling unsafe at school or on their way to or from school from 1993-2011.

conclusion: The trend data show variability in the percentage of students who report drinking and engaging in violence-related behaviors since the late 1990’s. The implementation of evidence-based alcohol and violence prevention programs in schools and communities could support improvements in both risk behaviors.