Alcohol Outlets and Substance Use among High Schoolers

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Adolescent Health
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Limited research exists on the built environment's impact on adolescent substance use.
• Alcohol outlets are a modifiable neighborhood factor with potential influence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between alcohol outlet density and adolescent substance use.
• To examine the role of perceived alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana (ATOD) availability.
• To investigate the association with school-level perceptions of substance use.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) Initiative.
• Analyzed data from 25,308 high school students across 12 counties.
• Employed multi-level path models to assess relationships.

Main Results:

• Higher alcohol outlet density correlated with greater perceived ATOD availability in girls, not boys.
• Perceived ATOD availability was linked to increased individual and school-level ATOD use.
• Perceived availability also associated with increased use by other students.

Conclusions:

• The built environment, specifically alcohol outlet density, may contribute to adolescent substance use risk.
• Findings highlight a potential gender difference, with girls being more susceptible.
• Interventions targeting neighborhood factors could mitigate adolescent ATOD use.