Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS): National Overview 2015

Risk Factors: School Variables

All of the school-related variables in the survey were associated with all forms of substance use. Overall, the more engaged a pupil is with school ( e.g. if they like it or if they haven't been excluded etc.) the less likely they are to use substances.

Figure 22 School variables associated with substance use, among both age groups (2015)

The relationship between feeling pressure from schoolwork and substance use was more complex. Among 13 year olds, the more pressure they felt due to schoolwork, the more likely they were to use substances. However, among 15 year olds, those who never felt pressured by schoolwork were the most likely to use substances.

Figure 23 Proportion of pupils using drugs in the last month by how often they feel strained or pressured by the schoolwork they have to do (2015)

¹ Based on the Goodman Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Further information is in the Technical Report and http://www.sdqinfo.org/ and http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/research/platform/wemwbs/

Risk Factors: Leisure Activities

Six leisure activities were consistently associated with substance use when carried out at least once a week, across both age groups and genders.

Figure 24 Leisure activities associated with substance use, among both age groups (2015)

Figure 25 Proportion of 15 year old pupils who had drunk in the last week by amount of own cash to spend per week (2015)

Risk Factors: Money to Spend

The more money a pupil had a week to spend, the more likely they were to have used substances. The relationship was particularly strong for alcohol. Those with £30 a week to spend were almost three times as likely to have drunk in the last week than those with less than £5.

All of the family variables were associated with substance use. In general, pupils who were closer to their families were less likely to use substances.

Figure 26 Family variables associated with substance use, among both age groups (2015)

Risk Factors: Deprivation

Living in a deprived area (as measured by SIMD ²) was associated with higher levels of regular smoking and drug use in 15 year olds. Area deprivation was not linked with drinking among 15 year olds. There were some differences in 13 year olds drinking by SIMD, but the relationship was not clear cut.

Figure 27 Proportion of 15 year olds who were regular smokers, by SIMD band (2015)

² Area deprivation was assessed using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation ( SIMD) based on postcodes of respondents and postcodes of the schools of participating pupils. Further information on SIMD can be found at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/SIMD