Figure 19: Risk Taking Behaviours by high risk drinking

100

82

80

65 

60

54

(%)

40

38

25

20

18

Other drinkers

0

Regular binge drinker

Current smokers

Cannabis use

Sexually active

in past 12 months

Methods used to prevent pregnancy were similar for both groups in relation

to condom use, withdrawal or using no protection.  However, regular binge

drinkers were less likely to use the contraceptive pill.  Half of female binge

drinkers had used the morning after pill, an emergency contraception in

comparison to one third of other drinkers (Table 25).

Table 25: Risk Taking Behaviours and Coping Skills by high risk drinking 

Regular binge

Less frequent or 

drinkers

non binge drinkers 

Risk taking behaviours

%

%

Age onset of smoking (under 14 years)

43.4

34.2*

Age onset of drinking (under 14 years)

25.3

12.5*

Age onset of first sex (under 16 years)

30.7

20.7*

Pregnancy prevention

Condom use

71.0

69.9

Contraceptive Pill

41.0

49.6*

Withdrawal

4.5

4.7

None

4.9

3.5

Morning after pill (females only)

49.1

36.4*

Coping with anxiety/depression

More positive

Talk to someone

66.2

73.0*

Find information

20.7

28.2*

Pray

16.4

22.9*

More negative  

Sort out alone

55.1

54.6

Try to ignore

37.4

35.5

Take drugs or get drunk

14.5

3.9*

*significant between drinking pattern (p<.01)

48