Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP)
Summary: Substance use of alcohol and cigarettes among Asian youth pose
s a significant public health challenge. In 2000, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 7.1% of Asian American adolescents between the ages 12-17 reported having used alcohol in the past month in the United States. In 2006, this percentage increased to 19.7% (SAMHSA, 2000 & 2006). This represents a 78% increase among Asian American adolescents nationally in six years. Additionally, in the city's Chinatown, 11% of 6th graders, 17% of 8th graders, 31% of 10th graders and 39% of 12th graders reported having used alcohol in the past thirty days in 2010. Early onset drinking increases the risk for unintentional physical harm, unprotected sex, physical violence, educational failure, and possible interference with both physiological and brain growth and development.
Click Image to Learn More from Illinois Youth Survey Findings in Chicago's Chinatown
For smoking behaviors among youth, access to cigarettes poses an important risk factor. According to the 2010 Illinois Youth Survey for Chinatown and surrounding neighborhoods of Armour Square and Bridgeport, 82% of 12th grade students from the target community reported that it would be very easy to obtain cigarettes, compared to 75% among 12th graders city-wide. Family behaviors and attitudes toward smoking, and parental lack of guidance and setting of rules around cigarette use increase risk for smoking among adolescents. Data collected between 2006-2008 by the Chicago Asian Community Surveys (CACS) Project, a research initiative led by the Asian Health Coalition, revealed that 31% of the adult males in Chinatown smoke. This is above Chicago's current rate of 24%, and the national smoking rate of 21%. Asians are the fastest growing racial group in the United States so the health of these adolescents is an increasing concern.
Substance use of alcohol and tobacco among Asian American youth poses a significant public health challenge. Asians are the fastest growing racial group in the United States so the health of these adolescents is an increasing concern.
Target Population: Asian American adolescents between the ages of 12-18 years old and Asian American adults
Collaborating Partners: 
- Alternatives, Inc.
- Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS)
- Chicago Department of Public Health - Substance Abuse & Tobacco Control Program
- Chicago Police District- 9th & 21st
- Chinese American Service League
- Chinese Mutual Aid Association
- Chicago Uptown Ministry
- Haymarket Center
- Henry Booth House
- James Ward Elementary School
- John C. Haines Elementary School
- Kelly High School
- Mental Health Association of America
- Mercy Hospital
- Metro South Medical Center
- Project: Vision, Inc.
- Pui Tak Center
- Robert Healy Elementary School
- Sing Tao Newspaper
- St. Therese Chinese Catholic School
- SunCas TV: Health Today
- World Journal
- Vietnamese Association of Illinois
Geographic Area Served: Chinatown and its surrounding neighborhoods of Armour Square & Bridgeport, and Uptown
Program Description: The program established two community-based, multi-sector coalitions to ensure the cultural competency and sustainability of its substance abuse prevention efforts. These coalitions are the Coalition for Asian Substance Abuse Prevention (CASAP) and the Uptown Coalition for a Healthier Community (UCHC). These efforts target risk and protective factors for substance abuse at the individual, family, and environmental levels through a comprehensive approach, which includes individual programming, media campaigns, media advocacy, collaboration with law enforcement, and creating policy changes to reduce social and retail access of substances to youth in the city of Chicago.
The Substance Abuse Prevention Program is funded by the Drug Free Communities (DFC) grant of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Partnerships for Success (PFS) by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Chicago Tobacco Prevention Project (CTPP) by the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago (RHAMC), and REALITY Illinois Program by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
Program Goals:
1. Prevent adolescent substance use;
2. Decrease rates of alcohol and tobacco abuse among adults and youth; and
3. Build capacity at the community-level to address substance abuse-related issues, and promote health and well-being in Chicago.
Contact: For more information please contact Meme Wang at meme@asianhealth.org, or by phone at 312-372-7070 ext 229.