title: An ecological analysis of secondary school students' drug use in Hong Kong: A case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Youth drug use is a significant at-risk youth behaviour and remains as one of the top priorities for mental health services, researchers and policy planners. The ecological characteristics of secondary school students' behaviour in Hong Kong are understudied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine individual, familial, social and environmental correlates of drug use among secondary students in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were extracted from a school survey with 3078 students. Among the 3078 students, 86 students reported to have used drugs in the past 6 months. A total of 86 age- and gender-matched controls with no drug-use behaviour in the past 6 months were randomly selected from the remaining students. Multiple logistic analysis was used to examine differential correlates between those who used and did not use substance in the past 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Positive school experience and perspective to school and parental support are protective factors of drug use. Lower self-esteem, lower self-efficacy against using drugs and higher level of permissive attitude towards drugs were associated with drug use. Students who were low in self-esteem and rather impulsive tend to use drugs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To prevent students from drug use, efforts in individual, family, school and community-levels should be addressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong samsont@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Samson
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Shimin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Chong Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D013334:Students; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Mental health; ecological approach; substance use