Secular trends in self-reported violent activity among Ontario students, 1983-2001

ABSTRACT

Introduction: This paper examines secular trends in violence among Ontario students between 1983 and 2001, and variation by sex.

Methods: Using data from the Ontario Student Drug Use Survey, we examined self-reports of assault, weapon carrying, and gang fighting based on 10 cross-sectional surveys from 1983 to 2001. Respondents were derived from representative samples of Ontario students in grades 7, 9, 11, and 13 (OAC) who completed in-class anonymous self-administered surveys. Data were weighted to account for the complex survey design and analyzed using logit trend analyses.

Results: Short-term trends (1991-2001) showed assault, weapon carrying, and gang …