Overall, 11% of New York City public high school students reported increased alcohol use after September 11, 2001, according to the first published study assessing changes in alcohol use among adolescents exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) attack.

Students who reported family or media exposure to the WTC attack or who attended a ground zero school all reported slight, but statistically insignificant, increases in alcohol use compared to those who did not have such exposure.

However, students who were directly exposed to the WTC attack were significantly more likely to report an increase in their alcohol consumption in the six months after September 11, 2001, “which suggests that alcohol was used as a way of coping with the immediate effect of the attack”.

The authors note that while the study is limited by its retrospective, self-report design and the lack of detailed information on changes in drinking, the findings suggest that “targeted substance-use interventions for youths may be warranted after large-scale disasters”.

For details, including data charts, source information and caveats, download the PDF file at www.cesar.umd.edu/cesar/cesarfax/vol15/15-19.pdf.

Reprinted from CESAR Fax, a weekly, one-page overview of timely substance abuse trends or issues, from The Center on Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland.