15% of high school seniors and over 20% of college students reported lifetime cocaine use, based on data presented by Patrick M. O’Malley of the University of Michigan. Prevalence reached nearly 40% for people in their late twenties, with use varying by gender, region, and urbanicity. The description notes a downturn in prevalence in 1986 and a sharp decline in 1987, while crack cocaine use showed different trends.
Use Cases
- Analyzing demographic patterns of cocaine use based on gender and region mentioned in the description.
- Modeling temporal trends in drug use prevalence based on reported declines in 1986 and 1987.
- Comparing substance use rates between different youth subgroups such as high school seniors, college students, and young adults.
- Investigating the differential impact of crack cocaine versus other forms of cocaine based on the description.
Strengths
- Prevalence figures are provided for specific demographic groups, such as 15% for high school seniors and over 20% for college students.
- The description includes specific temporal trends, noting a downturn in 1986 and a sharp decline in 1987.
- Geographic and demographic breakdowns are mentioned, including variation by region (West, Northeast, North Central, South) and urbanicity.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- The description notes the study may not represent inner-city populations well due to high dropout rates, suggesting a potential coverage bias.
Provenance
- Source
- Patrick M. O’Malley, University of Michigan
- Collection Method
- Likely survey-based data collection, as suggested by prevalence figures for specific populations.
- Time Range
- The description references data from 1986 and 1987, suggesting a primary focus around that period.
- Geography
- United States, with regional breakdowns mentioned (West, Northeast, North Central, South).