Toward Uniform Data Collection and Monitoring of Israeli and Palestinian Adolescent Drug Use

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to provide the reader with information about the development of a simple and short survey instrument to monitor drug use and related problem behavior among high-risk youth in the Middle East. The development of the instrument occurred in three main phases: (1) collection of existing surveys; (2) contact with relevant health professionals in the United States, in Europe, and in the region; and (3) assessment of prevention and treatment priorities among service providers addressing adolescent drug abuse and addiction problems. Issues for the development of the Substance Use Survey Instrument (SUSI) were refined through consultation with experts and adolescents. During a period of more than 15 years, the valid and reliable instrument has been modified and updated numerous times to address new substances and to simplify the questions asked because of the limited reading comprehension of the target population. Although the instrument is primarily for use with youth at risk including those who dropped out of school, the nature of the instrument has been modified for use with other groups including young adults and adults.

Appendix 4.1: Substance Use Survey Instrument (SUSI-Israeli Version)

Please answer each question the best you can. Each question needs to be answered.

• 1. Are you (mark one)?

  • _______Male

  • _______Female

• 2. What is your age? ________years

• 3. Are you (check one)?

  • ( ) Not religious

  • ( ) Somewhat religious

  • ( ) Religious

  • ( ) Very religious

• 4. Where was your mother born (check one)?

  • ( ) Israel

  • ( ) Russia, Ukraine, or other than the former Soviet Union country

  • ( ) Middle East country (other than Israel such as Morocco, etc.)

  • ( ) Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, etc.

  • ( ) Ethiopia

  • ( ) European country (other than the former Soviet Union)

  • ( ) Others (please write in your response): ____________________

• 5. Who do you live with (check one)?

  • ( ) Both parents (or stepparents)

  • ( ) Only with my mother (or stepmother)

  • ( ) Only with my father (or stepfather)

  • ( ) Sometimes with my mother (or stepmother) and sometimes with my father (or stepfather)

  • ( ) Other persons

  • ( ) Alone

• 6. What is your work status?

  • ( ) Do not work

  • ( ) Part-time job

  • ( ) Full-time job

• 7. Is someone in your family in contact with welfare services?

  • ( ) Yes ( ) No

• 8. During the day, where do you spend most of your time (check one)?

  • ( ) School

  • ( ) Work

  • ( ) School/work combination

  • ( ) Hanging around

  • ( ) Home (your home or that of friends)

  • ( ) Others (please indicate) _________________________

• 9. In the evening/night (not on holidays), where do you spend most of your time (check one)?

  • ( ) Work

  • ( ) Hanging around in the streets, malls, playgrounds, parks, etc.

  • ( ) Home (your home or that of friends)

  • ( ) Cafes, pubs, etc.

  • ( ) Others (please indicate) _________________________

• 10. Are you enrolled in school?

  • ( ) Yes (if yes, please answer questions 11, 12, and 13)

  • ( ) No (if no, please skip to question 14)

• 11. What is your grade level in school? ________

• 12. During the last month, did you miss school?

  • ( ) Yes ( ) No

• 13. During the last month, were you late for school?

  • ( ) Yes ( ) No

• 14. During your life, have you used the following substances? Also, please indicate your age when you first used the substance ( circle the best answer for each substance and fill in your age when you first used the substance) .

  	Used		Age—first used
  Cigarettes (and other tobacco products)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Beer	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Wine (other than for religious purposes)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Hard liquor (e.g., vodka, whiskey)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Marijuana	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Hashish	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Ecstasy	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Stimulants/amphetamines (e.g., speed)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  LSD
  Energy drinks (e.g., Red Bull)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Mix energy drinks and alcohol	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Inhalants	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Glue	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Aerosols (e.g., hairspray, air fresheners)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Solvents (e.g., nail polish, paint thinner, etc.)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Gases (e.g., gasoline)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Cleaninng fluids (spot remover, etc.)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Food products (vegetable cooking sprays)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Other gases (e.g., butane, air conditioner gas)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Other inhalants	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Prescription drugs	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin, codeine, etc.)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Sedatives/tranquilizers (e.g., Clonex, Clonazepam, etc.)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Other prescription drugs	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Other illegal drugs (please fill in the substance) ______________________	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Legal over-the-counter drugs (please fill in the substance) ______________________	Yes	No	_____ yrs.
  Legal designer/synthetic drugs (drugs of “pitzutziot,” e.g., “hagigat”)	Yes	No	_____ yrs.

• 15. During the last month , have you used the following substances (circle the best answer for each substance)?

  	Used
  Cigarettes (and other tobacco products)	Yes	No
  Beer	Yes	No
  Wine (other than for religious purposes)	Yes	No
  Hard liquor (e.g., vodka, whiskey)	Yes	No
  Marijuana	Yes	No
  Hashish	Yes	No
  Ecstasy	Yes	No
  Stimulants/amphetamines (e.g., speed)	Yes	No
  LSD	Yes	No
  Energy drinks (e.g., Red Bull)	Yes	No
  Mix energy drinks and alcohol	Yes	No
  Inhalants
  Glue	Yes	No
  Aerosols (e.g., hairspray, air fresheners)	Yes	No
  Solvents (e.g., nail polish, paint thinner, etc.)	Yes	No
  Gases (e.g., gasoline)	Yes	No
  Cleaning fluids (spot remover, etc.)	Yes	No
  Food products (vegetable cooking sprays)	Yes	No
  Other gases (e.g., butane, air conditioner gas)	Yes	No
  Other inhalants	Yes	No
  Prescription drugs
  Pain relievers (e.g., OxyContin, codeine, etc.)	Yes	No
  Sedatives/tranquilizers (e.g., Clonex, etc.)	Yes	No
  Other prescription drugs	Yes	No
  Other illegal drugs (please fill in the substance) _____________	Yes	No
  Legal (over the counter drugs—please fill in the substance) _____________	Yes	No
  Legal designer/synthetic drugs (drugs of “pitzutziot,” e.g., “hagigat”)	Yes	No

• 16. During the last month, have you had five or more alcohol beverages in one drinking occasion (circle the best answer)?

  • Yes  No

• 17. During the last month, have you been a passenger in a car when the driver had been drinking (circle the best answer)?

  • Yes  No

• 18. During the last month, have you been driving a car or motorcycle after drinking (circle the best answer)?

  • Yes  No

• 19. During the past 12 months , have you (circle the best answer):

  Gotten into a serious fight?	Yes	No
  Carried a weapon?	Yes	No
  Sold illegal drugs	Yes	No
  Stolen or tried to steal	Yes	No

• 20. During the past 12 months, has there been a decline in the following (circle the best answer):

  School achievement	Yes	No
  Relations with family members	Yes	No
  Relations with friends	Yes	No

• 21. During the past 12 months, has any of the following happened to you (circle the best answer)?

  Something stolen	Yes	No
  Someone damaged your property (e.g., clothes, bag, bicycle, etc.)	Yes	No
  Someone threatened you with a weapon (e.g., gun, knife, etc.)	Yes	No
  Someone threatened you without a weapon	Yes	No
  Someone injured you with a weapon	Yes	No
  Someone injured you without a weapon	Yes	No

• 22. If you wanted to buy, would it be easy for you to get each of the following drugs (circle the best answer)?

  Cigarettes (and other tobacco products)	Yes	No
  Alcohol including beer, wine, vodka, etc.	Yes	No
  Marijuana	Yes	No
  Hashish	Yes	No
  Ecstasy	Yes	No
  Inhalants (e.g., glue, paint remover, tippex, etc.)	Yes	No
  Prescription drugs (e.g., pain relievers, sedatives, tranquilizers, etc.)	Yes	No
  Stimulants/amphetamines (e.g., speed)	Yes	No
  LSD	Yes	No
  Other illegal drugs (please fill in the substance) _____________	Yes	No
  Legal designer/synthetic drugs (drugs of “pitzutziot” drugs, e.g., “hagigat”)	Yes	No

Thank you for your cooperation.