Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug by youth in the United States. Youth who drink alcohol before age 15 are six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in life than those who begin drinking at age 21 or older. Binge drinking (5 or more drinks on a single occasion) accounts for about 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth 12–20 years of age in the United States. The New Mexico Youth Risk & Resiliency Survey (NM-YRRS) includes questions about alcohol use, access, attitudes, and behaviors as well as protective (resiliency) factors that can help reduce these risky behaviors

FitzGerald, C

Green, D

Healy, R

Penaloza, L

English

University of New Mexico

University of New Mexico
UNM Digital Repository
Reports & Documents Publications & Reports
2017
New Mexico Youth Risk & Resiliency 2015 Survey
Results Report: Alcohol Use and Related
Behaviors.
R Healy
D Green
C FitzGerald
L Penaloza
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/prc-reports-documents
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Recommended Citation
Healy, R; D Green; C FitzGerald; and L Penaloza. "New Mexico Youth Risk & Resiliency 2015 Survey Results Report: Alcohol Use
and Related Behaviors.." (2017). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/prc-reports-documents/28
data report om the 2015
2005
42.3
30.0
31.5
28.6
12.0
Current drinking
First drink before age 13
Rode with a drinking driver
Binge drinking
Drinking and driving
2007
43.2
30.7
31.2
27.4
12.5
2009
40.5
29.4
26.4
25.0
9.7
2011
36.9
27.4
25.8
22.4
9.3
2013
28.9
22.3
22.5
17.1
8.8
2015
26.1
20.1
19.7
14.6
7.4
50
40
30
20
10
0
P
er
ce
nt
 (
%
)
Alcohol Use Trends (High School)
Summary of high school trends, 2005–2015:
Current drinking decreased by 38%
(42.3% to 26.1%).
Binge drinking decreased by almost 50% 
(28.6% to 14.6%).
First drink before age 13 decreased by 33% 
(30.0% to 20.1%).
Drinking and driving decreased by 38% 
(12.0% to 7.4%).
Rode with a drinking driver decreased by 37% 
(31.5% to 19.7%).
Summary of 2015 NM high school alcohol use with U.S.-NM comparison:
Current drinking
Binge drinking
First drink before age 13
Rode with a drinking driver
Drinking and driving
10 or more drinks on a single occasion
Drank on school property
26.1
14.6
20.1
19.7
7.4
3.6
5.0
32.8
17.7
17.2
20.0
7.8
4.3
-na-
28 (of 36 states)
24 (of 36 states)
4 (of 36 states)
13 (of 33 states)
15 (of 35 states)
9 (of 20 states)
-na-
U.S.
U.S.
NM
–
–
–
-na-
NM% U.S.% NM rankat higher risk
– = no statistically significant difference -na- = data not available
Figure 1
Trends in alcohol indicators
Grades 9–12, NM 
2005–2015
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug by youth in 
the United States.1 Youth who drink alcohol before age 15 are six 
times more likely to develop alcohol dependence or abuse later in 
life than those who begin drinking at age 21 or older.2 Binge 
drinking (5 or more drinks on a single occasion) accounts for about 
90% of the alcohol consumed by youth 12–20 years of age in the 
United States.3 e New Mexico Youth Risk & Resiliency Survey 
(NM-YRRS) includes questions about alcohol use, access, 
attitudes, and behaviors as well as protective (resiliency) factors 
that can help reduce these risky behaviors.
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
Alcohol Use Trends (Middle School)
Summary of middle school trends, 2009–2015:
Ever drank alcohol decreased by 38%  
(33.8% to 21.1%).
Current drinking decreased by 48% 
(16.2% to 8.5%).
Binge drinking decreased by 42% 
(8.6% to 5.0%).
First drink before age 11 decreased by 44% 
(16.5% to 9.2%).
Rode with a drinking driver decreased by 33% 
(28.1% to 18.8%).
2009
33.8
28.1
16.5
16.2
8.6
50
40
30
20
10
0
Ever drank alcohol
Rode with a drinking driver
First drink before age 11
Current drinking
Binge drinking
2011
29.5
24.8
14.5
12.9
6.3
2013
25.7
20.9
11.9
9.2
3.9
2015
21.1
18.8
9.2
8.5
5.0
P
er
ce
nt
 (
%
)
Figure 2
Trends in alcohol indicators
Grades 6–8, NM 
2009–2015
page 2
Alcohol indicators in 2015 NM-YRRS:
Ever drank alcohol Have you ever had a drink of alcohol, other than a few sips?
Current drinking (at least one day) During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink 
of alcohol?
Binge drinking (at least one day) During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have 5 or more drinks 
of alcohol in a row, that is, within a couple of hours?
10 or more drinks on a single occasion During the past 30 days, what is the largest number of alcoholic drinks you 
had in a row, that is, within a couple of hours?
First drink before age 13 (grades 9–12)
or age 11 (grades 6–8)
How old were you when you had your rst drink of alcohol other than
a few sips?
Drinking and driving (high school survey only) During the past 30 days, how many times did you drive a car or other vehicle 
when you had been drinking alcohol?
Access to alcohol (high school survey only) During the past 30 days, how did you usually get the alcohol you drank?
Where alcohol is consumed 
(high school survey only)
During the past 30 days, where did you usually drink alcohol?
Rode with drinking driver During the past 30 days, how many times did you ride in a car or other 
vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol? (high school)
Have you ever ridden in a car driven by someone who had been drinking 
alcohol? (middle school)
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
Alcohol and Student Characteristics
Alcohol Use by Sex
Alcohol Use by Grade Level
Grades 9–12:
Boys (4.6%) were more likely than girls (2.7%) to 
drink 10 or more drinks on a single occasion.
Boys (22.7%) were more likely than girls (17.3%) 
to drink before age 13.
ere were no statistically signicant dierences 
between girls and boys for binge drinking (13.8% 
vs. 15.2%), current drinking (27.0% vs. 25.1%), 
drinking and driving (6.4% vs. 8.2%) or riding 
with a drinking driver (19.5% vs. 19.7%).
Grades 6–8:
ere were no statistically signicant dierences 
between girls and boys for ever drinking alcohol 
(20.6% vs. 21.7%), current drinking (8.1% vs. 
9.0%) or binge drinking (4.5% vs. 5.4%).
ere was no statistically signicant dierence 
between girls and boys for drinking before age 11 
(7.5% vs. 10.9%).
All indicators of alcohol use increased in prevalence with grade level.
Figure 3
Prevalence of drinking
behaviors by grade level 
Grades 6–8 and 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
page 3
6th
12.4
3.9 2.4
7th
19.0
8.3
4.7
8th
32.0
13.4
7.8
9th
43.8
18.1
9.6
10th
51.1
23.2
11.7
11th
62.1
29.5
16.7
12th
70.3
36.5
22.5
Ever drank
Current drinker
Binge drinker
100
80
60
40
20
0
P
er
ce
nt
 (
%
)
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
Alcohol and Student Characteristics
Alcohol Use by Race/Ethnicity
Grades 9–12:
e prevalence of current drinking was lower 
among American Indian students (18.4%) than 
among Hispanic (28.9%) students. Other 
dierences by race/ethnicity were not statistically 
signicant (Asian or Pacic Islander: 21.2%; 
African American: 28.3%; White: 25.0%).
American Indian students had a lower rate of 
binge drinking (10.5%) than Hispanic students 
(16.4%). Other dierences by race/ethnicity were 
not statistically signicant (Asian or Pacic 
Islander: 12.4%; African American: 17.7%; 
White: 13.2%)
African American students (15.8%) had a higher 
rate of drinking and driving than American Indian 
(6.2%), White (6.6%), or Hispanic (7.3%). e 
rate for Asian or Pacic Islander students (12.4%) 
was not statistically dierent from the other 
groups.
ere were no statistically signicant dierences 
by race/ethnicity for drinking before age 13.
Grades 6–8:
e prevalence of students who ever had a drink 
of alcohol was lower among American Indian 
students (16.4%) and White students (17.4%) 
than Hispanic students (25.3%). Other 
dierences by race/ethnicity were not statistically 
signicant (Asian or Pacic Islander: 14.3%; 
African American: 20.0%).
e prevalence of current drinking was lower 
among American Indian students (4.7%) than 
among Hispanic students (10.6%). Other 
dierences by race/ethnicity were not statistically 
signicant (Asian or Pacic Islander: 5.0%; 
African American: 6.8%; White: 7.3%).
ere were no statistically signicant dierences 
by race/ethnicity for binge drinking or rst drink 
before age 11.
Alcohol Use by Urban or Rural County
Students attending schools in rural counties had 
higher rates of ever drinking, current drinking, and 
binge drinking than students attending schools in 
Metropolitan counties
Small metro counties
Mixed urban/rural counties
Rural counties
Current drinking
23.1
26.6 27.2
29.6
Binge drinking
12.2
14.2
16.0
18.4
Drinking and driving
70 7.0
8.1 9.2
50
40
30
20
10
0
P
er
ce
nt
 (
%
)
urban counties. e rate of drinking and driving was 
not statistically signicant by rural/urban county 
designation.
Figure 4
Prevalence of current 
drinking, binge drinking,
and drinking and driving,
by county rurality 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
page 4
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
50
40
30
20
10
0
P
er
ce
nt
 (
%
)
Straight
Unsure
LGB
Current drinker
24.0
30.7
40.9
Binge drinker
12.9
22.3 24.3
Drinking and driving
6.1
20.7
13.6
Housing stable
Housing unstable
Current drinker
24.2
58.8
Binge drinker
12.8
43.2
Drinking and driving
5.7
31.0
100
80
60
40
20
0
P
er
ce
nt
 (
%
)
Alcohol and Student Characteristics
Alcohol Use by Housing Stability
Students who lived in unstable housing conditions 
were more than twice as likely as students in stable 
housing to be current drinkers, more than three 
times as likely to be binge drinkers, and nearly six 
times as likely to drink and drive.
Figure 5
Prevalence of current 
alcohol use,
by LGB status 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
Figure 6
Prevalence of current 
alcohol use,
by housing stability 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
Alcohol Use by Sexual Orientation
Students who identied as lesbian, gay, bisexual 
(LGB) or who were unsure of their sexual identity 
were more likely to engage in binge drinking and 
drinking and driving than students who identied as 
straight. Students who identied as LGB were more 
likely to engage in current drinking than students 
who identied as straight.
page 5
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
28.9%
9.3%
42.7%
14.1%
0.9%
0.9%
3.2%
19.2%
14.0%
12.6%
24.6%
15.2%
10.0%
4.4%
Bought at a store
Bought at a restaurant/bar
Bought at a public event
Gave someone money to 
buy it
Someone gave it to me
Took it
Some other way
3.6%
1.4%
4.9%
51.6%
32.0%
1.8%4.6%
34.3%
8.1%
6.7%
11.5%
4.4%
14.3%
20.7%
My home
Other home
In a car
Restaurant/bar
Public place
Public event
School property
Alcohol and Risk Behaviors
Source of Alcohol and Location of Drinking by Housing Stability
NM high school students who were current 
drinkers typically consumed alcohol at someone 
else’s home (49.2%) or their own home (30.7%), 
and usually obtained their alcohol by someone 
giving it to them (39.3%). However, there were 
marked dierences in source of alcohol access and 
drinking location by housing stability.
Students in stable housing were three times more 
likely than students in unstable housing to obtain 
their alcohol by someone giving it to them. 
Students in unstable housing were ve times more 
likely than students in stable housing to purchase 
alcohol at a store or a public event, and 10 times 
more likely to purchase alcohol at a restaurant or 
bar.
Students in unstable housing were less likely than 
students in stable housing to drink alcohol in their 
own or in someone else’s home. ey were twice as 
likely to consume alcohol in a car, twice as likely to 
drink in a park or other public place, ve times as 
likely to consume alcohol in a restaurant or bar, 
and seven times as likely to drink on school 
property.
Figure 7
Source of alcohol among 
current drinkers, 
by housing status 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
Figure 8
Where current drinkers
usually consumed alcohol, 
by housing status 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
page 6
Stable HousingHousing Unstable
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent (%)
Non-drinker
Less than 5 drinks
Binge drinker
Sexually active
54.6
17.1
35.0
Used alcohol or drugs before
last sexual intercourse 36.9
17.1
6.0
Texted or emailed while driving
64.0
45.8
27.7
Rarely or never wore a seatbelt
3.7
4.9
13.4
Drinking and driving
9.2
33.4
Rode with a drinking driver
10.7
26.4
45.1
Took painkillers to get high
2.0
11.2
27.2
Current cigarette smoker
4.0
16.5
40.4
Non-suicidal self injury
15.6
29.8
32.3
Suicide attempt 12.0
6.1
18.5
Carried a weapon at school
1.9
6.2
12.7
In a physical fight
18.7
32.5
47.0
Physically hurt by date
2.8
8.0
14.7
PERSONAL SAFETY
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
SUBSTANCE USE
MENTAL HEALTH
VIOLENCE
Alcohol and Risk Behaviors
Selected Risk Behaviors by Alcohol Use Pattern (High School)
Among high school students, the prevalence of other 
risk behaviors increased as the level of alcohol 
consumption increased. For most of these risk 
behaviors, the prevalence is lowest among 
non-drinkers, higher among students who drank less 
than 5 drinks on a single occasion, and highest 
among binge drinkers.
Figure 9
Alcohol consumption by
other risk behaviors 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
page 7
How to read this chart: 
Each colored bar 
represents how common 
the indicated risk 
behavior is among 
students who engage in 
the different levels of 
alcohol consumption 
keyed to the bar’s color. 
For example: Among 
students who were binge 
drinkers, 12.7% carried a 
weapon at school (dark 
blue), compared to 6.2% 
of students who drank 
less than 5 drinks on a 
single occasion (medium 
blue), and 1.9% of 
non-drinkers (light blue).
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent (%)
Non-drinker
Less than 5 drinks
Binge drinker
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
Sexually active 0.0
1.1
13.7
Had sex before age 11
4.3
17.9
39.3
Rarely or never
wore a seatbelt
3.4
10.0
15.7
Rode with a drinking driver
16.2
41.2
52.6
Ever carried a weapon 56.2
74.6
36.6
Ever in a physical fight 64.4
84.0
41.2
1.5
4.4
19.3
Ever used painkillers
to get high
2.3
10.9
41.1
Current cigarette smoker
5.7
29.2
57.9
Current marijuana use
8.1
37.7
65.0
Current e-cigarette use
11.2
34.7
38.5
Made a plan to kill self
6.9
26.2
32.1
Ever tried to kill self
PERSONAL SAFETY
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR
SUBSTANCE USE
MENTAL HEALTH
Risk and Resiliency
Selected Risk Behaviors by Alcohol Use Pattern (Middle School)
Among middle school students, the prevalence of 
other risk behaviors increased as the level of alcohol 
consumption increased. For most of these risk 
behaviors, the prevalence is lowest among 
non-drinkers, higher among students who drank less 
than 5 drinks on a single occasion, and highest 
among binge drinkers.
Figure 10
Alcohol consumption by
other risk behaviors 
Grades 6–8, NM 
2015
page 8
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
0 20 40 60 80 100
Percent (%)
Not at all true
A little bit, 
pretty much, or 
very much true
IN MY HOME…
AT MY SCHOOL…
OUTSIDE OF MY HOME OR SCHOOL…
OTHER PROTECTIVE FACTORS
A parent or other adult is
interested in my work
A parent or other adult
believes I will be a success
A parent or other adult
knows where I am
when I’m not home
22.5
13.7
25.1
13.9
30.4
13.7
A teacher or other adult
listens to me when I have
something to say
A teacher or other adult
believes I will be a success
There are clear rules about
what students
can and cannot do
I am involved in sports,
clubs, or other activities
23.0
13.5
25.4
13.5
29.5
13.7
17.2
13.4
There is an adult who
cares about me
There is an adult who tells
me when I do a good job
I am part of
group activities
19.2
14.1
18.7
13.9
15.0
14.2
I have a friend around my
own age who cares about me
I plan to go to college or
some other school after
high school
20.8
14.1
25.0
13.9
Selected Resiliency Behaviors by Alcohol Use (High School)
Protective factors at home and school were more 
closely associated with lower rates of binge drinking 
than protective factors outside of the home or school.
Risk and Resiliency
Figure 11
Selected resiliency factors,
by binge drinking 
Grades 9–12, NM 
2015
How to read this chart: 
Each colored bar 
represents the percentage 
of students who binge 
drank gave the answer 
keyed to its color. 
For example: Among 
students who said it was 
not at all true that “I have 
a friend around my own 
age who cares about me,” 
20.8% were binge drinkers 
(light blue), compared to 
only 14.1% of students 
who said it was a little bit, 
pretty much, or very much 
true (dark blue).
page 9
Alcohol and Related Behaviors
data report om the 2015
Notes
1. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables. Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Rockville, MD; 2016.
2. Hingson RW, Heeren T, Winter MR. Age at drinking onset and alcohol dependence: age at onset, duration, and severity. Pediatrics 
2006;160:739–746
3. Oce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Drinking in America: Myths, Realities, and Prevention Policy. Washington, 
DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Oce of Justice Programs, Oce of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2005.
Healy R, Green D, FitzGerald C, and Peñaloza L. 2017. New Mexico Youth Risk & Resiliency 2015 Survey 
Results Report: Alcohol Use and Related Behaviors. Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico 
Department of Health, School and Family Support Bureau, New Mexico Public Education Department, and 
the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center.
is report was produced by the NM Department of Health, the NM Public Education Department, and 
the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center. e NM-YRRS receives support from the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in cooperation with the NM PED through Grant number 
1U87PS004195-01. For more information about the YRRS, see www.youthrisk.org or 
www.nmhealth.org/go/youth. For more information about alcohol use in NM, contact Laura Tomedi, 
Alcohol Epidemiologist at Laura.Tomedi@state.nm.us, or 505-476-1757.
Want to cite this report? We suggest you use this citation:
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