Canadian Street Youth and Substance Use

Executive Summary Key Findings Introduction Purpose Methods Analysis Analysis Terms Laboratory Methods Limitations Demographic Profile of E-SYS Participants Substance Use Smoking Alcohol Use Recent Alcohol Intoxication General Drug Use Patterns Non-Injection Drug Use Injection Drug Use Injection Drug Use and Hepatitis C Sexual Behaviours and STIs Implications Conclusions References

Findings from Enhanced Surveillance
of Canadian Street Youth, 1999-2003
(November 2007)

Executive Summary

Substance use is common among street youth. The prevalence of smoking, alcohol use and intoxication, drug use, and drug-use risk behaviours is much higher among street youth than in the general youth population.¹ Despite the detrimental health, psychological and social consequences of substance abuse, it continues to persist in street youth populations, because the challenges of meeting immediate daily needs are considered more pressing than preoccupation with health risks.^2,3

This report is intended to provide more information on substance use in street youth and is based on Enhanced Surveillance of Canadian Street Youth (E-SYS), a national, multicentre sentinel surveillance system that monitors rates of sexually transmitted infections and blood-borne infections, behaviours and risk determinants in Canada’s street youth population. Key findings from 1999, 2001 and 2003 are presented.

Key Findings

• Smoking rates are very high among street youth. Approximately 80% of street youth reported smoking about half a pack of cigarettes daily. Females averaged 14 to 16 cigarettes per day, while males averaged 16 to 18 cigarettes per day.
• Alcohol use is common among street youth. In 2003, about 76% reported consuming alcohol in the 3 months prior to the interview; about 5% of street youth reported drinking daily.
• Approximately 40% of street youth who drank alcohol reported recent alcohol intoxication.
• Street youth who reported using one substance were more likely to report using other substances (polydrug use).
• Rates of non-injection drug use are extremely high; 95% of youth reported ever using drugs by means other than injection. Marijuana was the most commonly used non-injection drug.
• Rates of injection drug use are also high. About 20% of street youth reported injection drug use in their lifetime. Cocaine was the most commonly injected drug.
• About 31% of street youth reported not always using clean injection equipment.
• Approximately 22% of non-injection drug users and 37% of injection drug users reported that they had quit using drugs.
• Among those who reported quitting drug use, half of the non-injection drug users and close to a third of injection drug users quit drugs using treatment services.

It is widely recognized that conventional treatment approaches and mainstream programs are not effective with street youth. As such, alternative integrated approaches to developing and implementing intervention programs for this marginalized population are necessary. Likewise, multifaceted gender-based initiatives aimed at addressing the broader determinants of health issues are imperative, rather than single-issue public health interventions, which are unlikely to address the root causes of substance use and associated risk behaviours.

For further information please contact:
Surveillance and Epidemiology Section
Community Acquired Infections Division
Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
Public Health Agency of Canada
Jeanne Mance Building, AL 1906B
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Fax: (613) 941-9813