Are younger or older Australian school students aged 12-17 years more likely to drink at levels that increase their short-term risk of injury?
Among Australian school students aged 12-17 years, older students were more likely than younger students to drink at levels that increased their short-term risk of alcohol-related injury.
In 2017, 10% of school students aged 12-15 years drank alcohol at short term risky levels in the past fortnight, compared to 26% of school students aged 16-17 years.
In 2017, 15% of school students aged 12-15 years drank alcohol at short term risky in the past month, compared to 37% of school students aged 16-17 years.
In 2017, 30% of school students aged 12-15 years drank alcohol at short term risky levels in the past year, compared to 59% of school students aged 16-17 years.
In 2017, 34% of school students aged 12-15 years drank alcohol at short term risky levels in their lifetime, compared to 61% of school students aged 16-17 years.
Source: Cancer Council Victoria (2018). ASSAD 2017 Statistics & Trends: Australian secondary school students' use of tobacco, alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, and illicit substances.
Short-Term Risk of Alcohol-Related Injury: The Australian alcohol guidelines that were in place at the time this survey was undertaken (2017) stated that drinking five or more standard drinks on any single occasion significantly increases short-term risk of alcohol-related injury.