Northeast > Resources > Topic Specific > Underage Drinking > Underage drinking in Pennsylvania

What does recent research data show about underage drinking in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania Youth Survey was conducted in 2003 among 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. Among those questioned 61 percent reported using alcohol at some point in their life compared to 62 percent in 2001, 27 percent reported using alcohol in the previous 30 days(up from 26 percent in 2001); and 16 percent reported binge drinking at least once in the previous 30 days (up from 15 percent in 2001). Current use of alcohol increased slightly among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, but decreased among 6th graders.

Lifetime use differed slightly by gender (61 percent for females versus 60 percent for males), though reported current use was roughly the same for both groups (26 percent), and reported binge drinking differed only slightly (16 percent of males versus 15 percent of females).

The ethnic group with the highest underage drinking rates was the Caucasian population in 2003, with 61 percent lifetime use, 27 percent current use and 16 percent binge drinking and African Americans rates were (49 percent lifetime use, 17 percent current use, and 12 percent binge drinking). In 2001, students who reported being from other ethnic group or multi-ethnic had a 60 percent lifetime use, 24 percent current use and 14 percent binge drinking. The other ethnic groups were: Native Americans (59 percent lifetime use, 25 percent current use, 21 percent binge drinking), Hispanics (54 percent lifetime use, 21 percent current use, and 15 percent binge drinking), and Asians (52 percent lifetime use, 17 percent current use, and 10 percent binge drinking).¹

Source: Pennsylvania Youth Survey 2001. Youth Survey Report. http://www.pccd.state.pa.us/pccd/lib/pccd/stats/payouthsurvey/2003_pa_youth_survey_report.pdf.

¹ Data for students according to other ethnic group or multi-ethnic groups, Hispanic, Native American, or Asian were not available for 2003.

Other Related Resources:

• National underage drinking trends: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq53.cfm

• National underage drinking rate differences by geography, ethnicity, gender and age: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq52.cfm

Underage drinking rates by State:

• Connecticut: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq41.cfm
  
• Delaware: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq42.cfm
  
• Maine: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq43.cfm
  
• Maryland: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq44.cfm
  
• Massachusetts: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq45.cfm
  
• New Hampshire: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq46.cfm
  
• New Jersey: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq47.cfm
  
• New York: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq48.cfm
  
• Rhode Island: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq50.cfm
  
• Vermont: http://www.captus.samhsa.gov/northeast/resources/faq/faq51.cfm

Please contact the Northeast CAPT at capt@edc.org for more information.