Underage Drinking In Ventura County
FACT
SHEET
Underage Drinking in Ventura County
U
nderage drinking continues to be a substantial problem in Ventura County. As a recent survey reports, alcohol use is highest among 18 to 20 year olds who are not of legal age to purchase it.
In 2004, The Ventura County Behavioral Health
Department contracted with the Social Science
Research Center (SSRC) at the University of
California, Fullerton to conduct a survey concerning alcohol use in Ventura County and to benchmark public sentiment regarding underage drinking. The survey results in this fact sheet pertain to questions about underage and binge drinking, settings in which drinking occurs, youth access to alcohol, and binge drinking and driving.
Survey Methodology …show more content…
B
etween May 5 and August 17, 2004, the SSRC administered a telephone survey to individuals
18 years of age and older residing in 2,021 randomly selected households in Ventura County. This is a population-based survey, meaning that rather than targeting heads-of-households, respondents were randomly selected from among all adults in the household. Consequently, the results can be generalized to the entire population of noninstitutionalized civilians 18 years of age or older residing in households with telephones in Ventura
County. The SSRC’s estimated response rate for this telephone survey was 68.40%; a very acceptable outcome for the random digit dialed technique and questionnaire length. A detailed description of the survey methodology may be found in the full report on the Ventura County Limits website
(www.venturacountylimits.org).
Summary of Findings
• Most adults in Ventura County have had at least one drink in the last month. 62.2% of male and
48.2% of female adults in Ventura County report having consumed at least one alcoholic beverage in the past thirty days.
• Youth and young adults appear to drink the most.
Alcohol use in Ventura County is highest among
18 to 20 year olds (who cannot legally purchase www.venturacountylimits.org it) (an average of 32.7 drinks per month among those in this age group who drink) and second highest among 21 to 25 year olds (an average of
22.3 drinks per month among those who consume alcohol).
• Larger proportions of White and English-speaking
Hispanic males drink than do other subgroups.
Consumption of at least one alcoholic beverage in the last thirty days is most prevalent among NonHispanic English-speaking males (67%), followed by English-speaking Hispanic males (62.2%) and
Non-Hispanic English-speaking females (54.6%).
The prevalence of alcohol use is lowest among
Spanish-speaking females (just 3.8%).
• Males binge drink at more than four times the rate of females. Among all survey respondents,
17.7% of males compared to 4.3% of females report “binge drinking” on one or more occasion in the past thirty days.1
• Young adults binge drink at almost three times the rate of older adults. Among survey respondents who consume alcohol, 42.0% of those 25 years of age and younger report binge drinking in the last thirty days, compared to
14.5% of those 26 years of age and older.
• Binge drinking is significantly more prevalent among young men. 62.1% of males 25 years of age and younger who drink report binge drinking at least once in the last 30 days.
Included in this proportion is 35.1% that report binge drinking three or more times in the last month.
Settings for Binge Drinking
• Private homes are the most frequent location for binge drinking. Among respondents that report binge drinking, the most frequently …show more content…
reported setting for alcohol consumption on the last
For more information contact: kathleen.staples@ventura.org
occasion is the respondent’s own residence
(N=92, 52.3%), followed by another person’s home (N=40, 22.7%), and a bar or club (N=22,
12.5%). Nine persons each (5.1%) reported last binge drinking at a “restaurant or banquet hall” and “a public place.”
• Settings for binge drinking are highly related to the drinker’s age. 59.1% of persons 26 and older report binge drinking in their own residence, compared to 28.6% of those 25 and younger.
Conversely, 45.2% of younger adults last reported binge drinking at someone else’s home, in contrast to just 15.9% of persons 26 years of age and older. These data raise concerns about the role of “house parties” as settings for binge drinking among young adults.
Binge Drinking and Access to
Alcohol
• The means by which alcohol is acquired for binge drinking varies significantly by age group. Alcohol was purchased for or given to over one third
(35.7%) of binge drinkers 25 years of age and younger, compared to just 10.6% of adults 26 and older. • Underage youth who drink excessively acquire alcohol from social sources (friend or relative, or by “shoulder tapping” at a retail outlet) and by making illegal purchases. Although the number is very small (N= 13) and must be interpreted with caution, among binge-drinking respondents younger than the legal drinking age (18 to 20), about half report that the alcohol was purchased for or given to them by someone else, and about half reportedly purchased the alcohol themselves at a store.
Binge Drinking and Driving
than 21 years of age, the legal drinking age in
California2.
The Importance of Preventing
Underage Drinking
Underage and binge drinking among youth and young adults is a significant public health and safety issue. Underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile crashes and 50 to 65 percent of youth suicides.3 Alcohol consumption has other adverse consequences for individuals including injuries and accidents, unplanned or unprotected sex, fights, sexual assault, or date rape, and other violence. Alcohol contributes to youth homicides and suicides. Youth particularly experience damage to their physical, cognitive, and social development.
Moreover, youth who begin drinking alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who wait to begin drinking until age 21.4
1
2
3
4
• Few admit to excessive drinking and driving, but the proportion that does is much higher among younger adults. Just 8.5% of survey respondents that report binge drinking in the past 30 days report that they drove, “during or within a couple of hours after this occasion.” However, the rate
of affirmative response is two times higher among binge drinkers 25 years of age and younger
(14.0%) than it is among binge drinkers 26 and older (6.8%).
A recent study of DUI offenders in Ventura County shows that young persons 18 to 25 years of age represent just 6.9% of the county population 18 and older, but 25.9% of all Drinking Driver Program participants. Moreover, among 18 to 25 year old DUI offenders, about one fifth (20.2%) are younger
Note that CDC does not make a distinction with regard to gender in its definition of binge drinking (five or more drinks at one sitting).California ADP, in contrast, defines binge drinking among females as four or more drinks at one sitting. Consequently, by
State standards, the prevalence of binge drinking among women in Ventura County is underestimated by these data.
G. Robinson, Circumstances of Drinking Prior to
DUI Arrest among Persons 18 to 25 Years of Age in
Ventura County, (Ventura, CA:Ventura County
Behavioral Health Department Publication,
2005)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
Grant, B.F., and Dawson, D.A. (1997). “Age of onset of alcohol use and its association with
DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence:
Results from the National Longitudinal
Alcohol Epidemiologic survey.” Journal of
Substance Abuse, 9: 103-110.
V
entura County Limits, a Community Partnership for Responsible Alcohol Policies and Practices, is an initiative to address underage and binge drinking problems by means of a countywide Community Partnership. The
Ventura County Behavioral Health Department with funding from the State Department of Alcohol and Drug
Programs and the active participation of stakeholders from across Ventura County is guiding this initiative.
This publication was prepared by the Institute for Public Strategies as part of a series from Ventura County Limits, a project of the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department.
SHEET
Underage Drinking in Ventura County
U
nderage drinking continues to be a substantial problem in Ventura County. As a recent survey reports, alcohol use is highest among 18 to 20 year olds who are not of legal age to purchase it.
In 2004, The Ventura County Behavioral Health
Department contracted with the Social Science
Research Center (SSRC) at the University of
California, Fullerton to conduct a survey concerning alcohol use in Ventura County and to benchmark public sentiment regarding underage drinking. The survey results in this fact sheet pertain to questions about underage and binge drinking, settings in which drinking occurs, youth access to alcohol, and binge drinking and driving.
Survey Methodology …show more content…
B
etween May 5 and August 17, 2004, the SSRC administered a telephone survey to individuals
18 years of age and older residing in 2,021 randomly selected households in Ventura County. This is a population-based survey, meaning that rather than targeting heads-of-households, respondents were randomly selected from among all adults in the household. Consequently, the results can be generalized to the entire population of noninstitutionalized civilians 18 years of age or older residing in households with telephones in Ventura
County. The SSRC’s estimated response rate for this telephone survey was 68.40%; a very acceptable outcome for the random digit dialed technique and questionnaire length. A detailed description of the survey methodology may be found in the full report on the Ventura County Limits website
(www.venturacountylimits.org).
Summary of Findings
• Most adults in Ventura County have had at least one drink in the last month. 62.2% of male and
48.2% of female adults in Ventura County report having consumed at least one alcoholic beverage in the past thirty days.
• Youth and young adults appear to drink the most.
Alcohol use in Ventura County is highest among
18 to 20 year olds (who cannot legally purchase www.venturacountylimits.org it) (an average of 32.7 drinks per month among those in this age group who drink) and second highest among 21 to 25 year olds (an average of
22.3 drinks per month among those who consume alcohol).
• Larger proportions of White and English-speaking
Hispanic males drink than do other subgroups.
Consumption of at least one alcoholic beverage in the last thirty days is most prevalent among NonHispanic English-speaking males (67%), followed by English-speaking Hispanic males (62.2%) and
Non-Hispanic English-speaking females (54.6%).
The prevalence of alcohol use is lowest among
Spanish-speaking females (just 3.8%).
• Males binge drink at more than four times the rate of females. Among all survey respondents,
17.7% of males compared to 4.3% of females report “binge drinking” on one or more occasion in the past thirty days.1
• Young adults binge drink at almost three times the rate of older adults. Among survey respondents who consume alcohol, 42.0% of those 25 years of age and younger report binge drinking in the last thirty days, compared to
14.5% of those 26 years of age and older.
• Binge drinking is significantly more prevalent among young men. 62.1% of males 25 years of age and younger who drink report binge drinking at least once in the last 30 days.
Included in this proportion is 35.1% that report binge drinking three or more times in the last month.
Settings for Binge Drinking
• Private homes are the most frequent location for binge drinking. Among respondents that report binge drinking, the most frequently …show more content…
reported setting for alcohol consumption on the last
For more information contact: kathleen.staples@ventura.org
occasion is the respondent’s own residence
(N=92, 52.3%), followed by another person’s home (N=40, 22.7%), and a bar or club (N=22,
12.5%). Nine persons each (5.1%) reported last binge drinking at a “restaurant or banquet hall” and “a public place.”
• Settings for binge drinking are highly related to the drinker’s age. 59.1% of persons 26 and older report binge drinking in their own residence, compared to 28.6% of those 25 and younger.
Conversely, 45.2% of younger adults last reported binge drinking at someone else’s home, in contrast to just 15.9% of persons 26 years of age and older. These data raise concerns about the role of “house parties” as settings for binge drinking among young adults.
Binge Drinking and Access to
Alcohol
• The means by which alcohol is acquired for binge drinking varies significantly by age group. Alcohol was purchased for or given to over one third
(35.7%) of binge drinkers 25 years of age and younger, compared to just 10.6% of adults 26 and older. • Underage youth who drink excessively acquire alcohol from social sources (friend or relative, or by “shoulder tapping” at a retail outlet) and by making illegal purchases. Although the number is very small (N= 13) and must be interpreted with caution, among binge-drinking respondents younger than the legal drinking age (18 to 20), about half report that the alcohol was purchased for or given to them by someone else, and about half reportedly purchased the alcohol themselves at a store.
Binge Drinking and Driving
than 21 years of age, the legal drinking age in
California2.
The Importance of Preventing
Underage Drinking
Underage and binge drinking among youth and young adults is a significant public health and safety issue. Underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile crashes and 50 to 65 percent of youth suicides.3 Alcohol consumption has other adverse consequences for individuals including injuries and accidents, unplanned or unprotected sex, fights, sexual assault, or date rape, and other violence. Alcohol contributes to youth homicides and suicides. Youth particularly experience damage to their physical, cognitive, and social development.
Moreover, youth who begin drinking alcohol before age 15 are four times more likely to become dependent on alcohol than those who wait to begin drinking until age 21.4
1
2
3
4
• Few admit to excessive drinking and driving, but the proportion that does is much higher among younger adults. Just 8.5% of survey respondents that report binge drinking in the past 30 days report that they drove, “during or within a couple of hours after this occasion.” However, the rate
of affirmative response is two times higher among binge drinkers 25 years of age and younger
(14.0%) than it is among binge drinkers 26 and older (6.8%).
A recent study of DUI offenders in Ventura County shows that young persons 18 to 25 years of age represent just 6.9% of the county population 18 and older, but 25.9% of all Drinking Driver Program participants. Moreover, among 18 to 25 year old DUI offenders, about one fifth (20.2%) are younger
Note that CDC does not make a distinction with regard to gender in its definition of binge drinking (five or more drinks at one sitting).California ADP, in contrast, defines binge drinking among females as four or more drinks at one sitting. Consequently, by
State standards, the prevalence of binge drinking among women in Ventura County is underestimated by these data.
G. Robinson, Circumstances of Drinking Prior to
DUI Arrest among Persons 18 to 25 Years of Age in
Ventura County, (Ventura, CA:Ventura County
Behavioral Health Department Publication,
2005)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
Grant, B.F., and Dawson, D.A. (1997). “Age of onset of alcohol use and its association with
DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence:
Results from the National Longitudinal
Alcohol Epidemiologic survey.” Journal of
Substance Abuse, 9: 103-110.
V
entura County Limits, a Community Partnership for Responsible Alcohol Policies and Practices, is an initiative to address underage and binge drinking problems by means of a countywide Community Partnership. The
Ventura County Behavioral Health Department with funding from the State Department of Alcohol and Drug
Programs and the active participation of stakeholders from across Ventura County is guiding this initiative.
This publication was prepared by the Institute for Public Strategies as part of a series from Ventura County Limits, a project of the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department.