title: Tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use among Aboriginal youth living off-reserve: results from the Youth Smoking Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the high prevalence of smoking among Aboriginal youth, there is a paucity of research related to tobacco use and other risk behaviours among Aboriginal youth living off-reserve in Canada. We used data from the national Youth Smoking Survey to characterize non-traditional tobacco use, exposure to second-hand smoke, and alcohol and drug use among Aboriginal youth living off-reserve. We examined whether these youth were at increased health risk compared with non-Aboriginal youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined cigarette smoking behaviour, use of other tobacco products, use of alcohol and other drugs, and exposure to second-hand smoke among 2620 Aboriginal youth living off-reserve and 26,223 non-Aboriginal youth in grades 9 to 12 who participated in the 2008/09 Youth Smoking Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of current smoking among the Aboriginal youth was more than double that among non-Aboriginal youth (24.9% v. 10.4%). Aboriginal youth also had a higher prevalence of regular exposure to second-hand smoke at home (37.3% v. 19.7%) and in cars (51.0% v. 30.3%). Aboriginal youth were more likely than non-Aboriginal youth to be current smokers, to be regularly exposed to second-hand smoke, to have tried marijuana and other illicit drugs, and to engage in binge drinking. They were less likely than non-Aboriginal youth to have tried to quit smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current national estimates of smoking, and alcohol and illicit drug use among youth underestimate the prevalence of these behaviours among Aboriginal youth living off-reserve. Our findings highlight the need for culturally appropriate prevention and cessation policies and programs for this at-risk population.
authors.affiliation: Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, Canadian Cancer Society/University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont.
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elton-Marshall
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Leatherdale
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burkhalter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004930:Inuit / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution