Northeast > Resources > Topic Specific > Assessment and Evaluation > Substance abuse and mental health behavior

What data are being collected nationally on substance abuse related health behaviors? How can I use existing data sources in planning prevention programs in my community?

Surveys conducted each year throughout the United States collect detailed information on patterns of high-risk behaviors among youth. Prevention practitioners and other community planners may find consulting these data useful as they plan substance abuse prevention activities in their local communities.

First, you can use national data sets to better understand how severe a problem might be within your community. Agencies often conduct surveys in order to assess the needs of their community and to clearly define the target population for whom services are most needed. Once local data has been collected and analyzed, looking at national trends can shed light on how severe a problem actually is within a community as compared to patterns throughout the U.S.

Second, many of these surveys have developed instruments that planners may want to use in surveying youth within their own community. You can use these assessment instruments in their original form, or modify them to particular data. When selecting a tool to use as your survey on a specific health behavior, be sure to check that an instrument has been proven through repeated testing to provide valid and reliable information. Using a combination of methods, such as a survey, focus groups, and/or key informant interviews, will always allow you to collect the best information on local patterns.

Current Studies Tracking National and State Level Data

This is a partial list of ongoing studies being conducted on health behaviors of youth throughout the United States.

Monitoring the Future is a continuing study conducted since 1975 by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The study includes information on drug use trends as well as changes in attitudes, values, and behaviors of American high school students. Accessible on the Web at http://www.isr.umich.edu/src/mtf.

The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) measure the prevalence of drug and alcohol use among members ages 12 and older. Topics include drug use, health-related issues, and demographics. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has administered the survey since 1992. Accessible on the web at http://www.health.org/govstudy/bkd376.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is a component of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), maintained by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The YRBS contains national school-based surveys, state and local school-based surveys, and a national household survey. Each component provides unique health behavior information about adolescents in the U.S., including information on such issues as automotive and bicycle safety, violence, sexual activity, dieting, and exercise. Accessible on the web at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm

The National Crime Victimization Survey, administered for the Bureau of Justice Statistics by the Bureau of the Census, and is the nation’s primary source of information on criminal behaviors. The study collects data on the nature and frequency of rapes, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated and simple assault, theft, household burglary, and motor theft experienced in the United States each year. Accessible on the web at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACJD/.

The National Household Education Survey collects descriptive data from a representative sample of U.S. households. The survey focuses on school safety and discipline, and can be accessed on the web at http://nces.ed.gov/nhes/.

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