ADOLESCENTS, BUSH PARTIES AND DRINKING-DRIVING

Objective: We describe the prevalence of bush party (an outdoor gather ing of youth) attendance and examine predictors of attendance and of d riving after drinking at bush parties. Method: The 1995 Ontario Studen t Drug Use Survey (OSDUS) data on students (n = 1,853) in schools acro ss the province in grades 7, 9, 11 and 13 are employed to estimate pre valence of bush party attendance within the previous 12 months. The 19 94 Graduated Licensing Study (GLS), a multicommunity survey of drivers (n = 1,157, 53.6% male) in grades 11 and 12 in Ontario, data are empl oyed to study predictors of attendance and of drinking-driving. Result s: Based on the OSDUS, the prevalence of bush party attendance is 37.6 %. Based on the GLS, 38.4% attended bush parties, and among attenders 71.5% drank at bush parties, 63.5% observed drinking-driving, 16.1% ro de with a drinking-driver and 16.6% drove after drinking at bush parti es. Logistic regression reveals that attendance at bush parties is pos itively associated with number of other places alcohol was consumed, t obacco use, number of alcohol-related problems, number of kilometers e ver driven, sensation seeking and northern residents. Among attenders who drank at bush parties, males were three and a half times more like ly to drive after drinking at a bush party, and the probability of dri nking and driving increased with the number of other drugs used. Concl usions: Despite important differences in the design and purpose of the two surveys, both indicate that bush party attendance is prevalent am ong adolescents. Driving after drinking at these events is common and warrants community action.