Youth Making Choices: Gambling Prevention Program

Males are significantly more likely than females to beoverweight or obese. Males are significantly morelikely than females to report the following: sedentarybehaviour, experiencing an injury that requirestreatment, using a prescribed ADHD drug, delinquentand violent behaviours, belonging to a “gang,” bullyingothers, gambling, a gambling problem, and videogaming problem.Females are more likely to report the following: poorphysical health, using prescribed tranquillizermedication, being prescribed medication to treatanxiety or depression, visiting a professional formental health reasons, using a crisis helpline, low selfesteem,depressive symptoms, psychological distress,suicide ideation, and being bullied at school.Selected Ten-Year Trends, 1999–2009(Grades 7 to 12)Selected Long-Term Trends, 1991–2009(Grades 7, 9, and 11 only)‣ Reports of poor physical health were lowest in1991, when monitoring first began. Poor self-ratedhealth significantly increased until the mid-2000sand has since remained elevated.‣ The percentage of students reporting delinquentbehaviour is significantly lower today comparedwith estimates from the early 1990s.‣ Since the early 1990s, there have been significantdecreases in the percentage of students reportingassaulting someone, carrying a weapon, and gangfighting.‣ The percentage of students reporting sellingcannabis significantly increased between 1991 and2001, and still remains at a higher level comparedwith the estimates from the early 1990s.‣ The percentage of students reporting at least onephysical injury in the past year was significantlyhigher in 2009 (40%) than in 2003 (35%), whenmonitoring first began.‣ The percentage of student reporting a mental healthcare visit significantly increased over the pastdecade (from 12% in 1999 to 24% in 2009).‣ Over the past decade, there were no significantchanges in the percentage of students who reportedelevated psychological distress, depressivesymptoms, or suicide ideation.‣ The percentage of students reporting any gamblingin 2009 (43%) is significantly lower than theestimate from 2003 (57%), when this measure firstbegan. Similarly, multi-gambling activity issignificantly lower in 2009 (3%) compared with theestimate from 2003 (6%).‣ The percentage of students reporting a gamblingproblem significantly decreased over the pastdecade, from 7% in 1999 down to 3% in 2009.eBulletin Vol. 11(2), 2010; Public Health and Regulatory Policy Research, CAMH