local data

• Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Use Among Lane County 8th & 11th Graders and the Consequences of their Use; includes 2003 Oregon Healthy Teens Data
• Lane County Community Profile 2005 -- complete report, 79 pages
• Lane County Community Profile 2005 -- summary report, 2 pages

Oregon Department of Human Services Healthy Teens Survey
Oregon Healthy Teens (OHT) is Oregon's effort to monitor the health and well-being of adolescents. An anonymous and voluntary research-based survey, OHT is conducted among 8th and 11th graders statewide. OHT is fundamental to ensuring that young people arrive at adulthood with the skills, interests, assets, and health habits needed to live healthy, happy, and productive lives in caring relationships with other people.  Topics in the survey include:

• Tobacco, alcohol and other drug use
• Mental health/depression/suicidal behaviors
• Access to tobacco and alcohol
• Personal safety behaviors and perceptions
• Violence-related behaviors
• Diet and exercise
• Extracurricular activities
• Sexual activity and HIV/AIDS knowledge
• Health conditions and access to care
• Individual, peer, community and family influences on risk behaviors

Research

Research has shown there are a number of risk factors that increase the chances of adolescents developing health and behavior problems. There are also protective factors that can help shield youth from problems such as substance abuse and violence (Hawkins, Catalano, and Miller 1992).

Protective factors are conditions that buffer young people from the negative consequences of exposure to risks by either reducing the impact of the risk or changing the way a person responds to the risk. Consequently, enhancing protective factors can reduce the likelihood of problem behaviors arising.

Protective factors include: Individual characteristics that children are born with and are difficult to change (e.g. gender, a resilient temperament, a positive social orientation, and intelligence). Intelligence, however, does not protect against substance abuse. Positive bonding of children who are attached to positive families, friends, school, and community, and who are committed to achieving the goals valued by these groups are less likely to develop problems in adolescence. To build bonding, three conditions are necessary: opportunities, skills, and recognition. Healthy beliefs and clear standards When parents, teachers, and communities set clear standards for children's behavior, when they are widely and consistently supported, and when the consequences for not following the standards are consistent, young people are more likely to follow the standards.  

Bibliography

Hawkins, J. David, Richard F. Catalano, and Janet Y. Miller. 1992 Risk and Protective Factors for Alcohol and Other Drug Problems in Adolescence and Early Adulthood: Implications for Substance Abuse Prevention. Psychological Bulletin 112(1):64-105.

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