An Exploratory Approach to Analyzing Alcohol Control Policy Opinions Held by Ontario Adults

Telephone interview data from a representative sample of 1,216 Ontario adults were analyzed using latent class analysis to determine whether distinct and homogeneous classes of individuals could be identified based on their responding patterns to 11 alcohol policy items. Five latent classes were identified and labeled as: dedicated liberalizers, moderate liberalizers, moderate controllers, dedicated controllers, and an ambivalent class. Multinomial regression analysis indicated that demographic and alcohol factors differentiated the classes. Those most opposed to alcohol controls, dedicated liberalizers, were more likely to be male, younger and heavier drinkers. Given their young age it is possible that further erosion of public support for alcohol controls may be expected

The prevalence and correlates of texting while driving among a population-based sample of Ontario students

Objective: Texting while driving (TWD) has a deleterious impact on driving performance and may pose a significant challenge to traffic safety. This challenge may be particularly relevant for young and inexperienced drivers. This study examined the prevalence and risk factors of writing text messages or emails while driving during the past 12 months. Method: This study analyzed a subpopulation of 1,133 licensed students 16 years of age or older from the 2013 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey (OSDUHS), a population-based survey of students in Ontario, Canada. Results: Our results indicate that 36% of licensed drivers reported writing a text message while driving during the past 12 months; of those who did, 56% reported doing so 4 or more times. Graduated licensing was the strongest factor predicting TWD. Compared to students with the more restrictive G1 license, students with a G2 or full license were 9.4 times more likely to report TWD after controlling for the effect of all other factors. Older students, white students, and students attending school in urban centers were more likely to report TWD, and the amount of time spent on social media sites, being a passenger with a driver using substances, and past-year collisions were also significantly associated with TWD. Gender differences and participation in driver education training were not associated with TWD. Conclusions: This research demonstrates that TWD is an extremely common behavior among licensed student drivers in Ontario, particularly among those who have passed the first stage of graduated licensing. TWD is associated with other risky driving behaviors and outcomes, and the findings from this study underscore the need to better understand the harms associated with this behavior

A typological study of gambling and substance use among adolescent students

Abstract Cluster analysis was used to define subpopulations of youth involved in drugs, alcohol, and gambling. Data from a 2001 cross-sectional survey of Ontario grade 7 to 13 students (N = 2,243; mean age 15 years; 51% males) were examined. The analysis suggested four clusters: Mainstreamers (66.0%), Party Goers (26.2%), Drug Takers (5.9%), and Heavy Gamblers (1.9%). This cluster structure was validated across a number of additional external variables that were not used in the original cluster analysis. The findings indicated that Drug Takers and Heavy Gamblers formed two distinct clusters. Probable pathological gamblers were found in all four clusters, but they were most concentrated in the heavy gambling cluster. The results suggest that troubled youths are not a single entity, but display heterogeneity in their configuration of risk behaviours

Ontario Youth Gambling Report: Data from the 2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey

Permission granted to archive report in repository by Shawn Yu, Assistant Manager of Communications and Online Services, Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario.This report describes gambling activity and gambling problems among Ontario students in 2009, and also examines the relationship between gambling problems and substance use problems, mental health problems, and delinquent behaviours.YesReport Prepared for the Problem Gambling Institute of Ontari

Bullying and Hazardous Driving Among Youthful Drivers (letter to the editor)

Reproduced with permission of the Canadian Public Health Association.Bullying in schools is an important social, psychological and educational problem. Research on this behaviour is available from diverse countries. Reported rates of students being bullied range from 10% to 50%. A recent Ontario study found that 20.7% of students engaged in bullying. Bullying behaviour is a marker for antisocial development. Perpetrators engage in antisocial behaviour later in life, and have higher levels of criminal thinking, aggression and psychopathology. More research is needed on how bullying relates to aggressive behaviours outside of school situations. Hazardous driving, including driving after drinking and drug use, and street racing, are aggressive in nature. Several characteristics of bullies are shared with hazardous drivers, e.g., being male, consuming alcohol, and engaging in other antisocial behaviours. However, no studies show how bullying relates to hazardous driving. Here, we report associations between self-reported bullying perpetration and hazardous driving in a large, representative sample of students in Canadian schools