New Jersey

Please be sure to read the data notes & limitations page. This explains many aspects of these comments, including how only changes over time can be discussed as statistically significant, and why the comparisons with national rates discuss data for selected subgroups.

Overview of Findings

Data indicating changes for New Jersey were limited to a few objectives and findings were mixed. Overall mortality decreased among younger and older adolescents, but increased among young adults; homicide rates also increased. The rate for motor vehicle crash mortality among older adolescents remained flat.  Because baseline data were not available for most objectives, change in most areas could not be evaluated.

Final New Jersey rates compared favorably to national rates for most objectives, including overall mortality, motor vehicle crash mortality, and suicide, as well as riding with a driver who had been drinking, physical fighting, weapon carrying, and condom use. New Jersey rates were very similar to national rates for homicide, safety belt use, sexual experience and current sexual activity.

Highlights of Findings by Objective

Jump To: Mortality; Unintentional Injury; Violence; Substance Use and Mental Health; Reproductive Health; Chronic Disease Prevention

Mortality

The rate of overall mortality in New Jersey decreased among younger and older adolescents, but increased among young adults. A notable exception to this pattern was a decrease among White young adults. Most changes were fairly small; exceptions include a relatively large increase among Hispanic young adults. In 2007, younger adolescent males and females had virtually matching rates; among older adolescents and young adults, males had two and half times the mortality rate of females. Among younger adolescents, Blacks had higher rates than Whites. Among older adolescents and young adults, Blacks had the highest rates, followed by Hispanics, then Whites, with a very small Hispanic-White difference among older adolescents. For all three age groups, Blacks had more than twice the rate of Whites.

Comparison with national data. As in New Jersey, national mortality rates decreased for younger and older adolescents, and increased among young adults. Unlike New Jersey, the national rate for young adult Whites increased and the rate for young adult Blacks decreased. In 2007, overall mortality rates in New Jersey were lower than national rates, with fairly large state-national differences among older adolescents and young adults. One exception is roughly matching state and national rates for Blacks. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns mostly matched the patterns noted for New Jersey. A small exception was found among older adolescents. Similar to New Jersey, the difference between Hispanics and Whites was small; however, Whites had a slightly higher rate nationally, the reverse of the pattern in New Jersey.

Unintentional Injury

(motor vehicle crashes, safety belt use, & riding with a driver who has been drinking alcohol)

Please note the data for safety belt use are presented as “not wearing safety belt,” the inverse of the objective. This text describes safety belt use.

Adolescent mortality in New Jersey due to motor vehicle crashes (MVC) was flat from baseline overall, with little or no change among most subgroups. Exceptions include a large decease among Black males and moderate increase among Hispanics overall. In 2007, males in New Jersey had more than twice the MVC mortality rate of females. Hispanics had the highest rates, followed by Blacks, and then Whites; group differences were fairly small.

Comparison with national data. National adolescent MVC mortality overall was also flat from baseline. As in New Jersey, the rate for Black males decreased, but this change was very small compared to the change in New Jersey. In 2007, MVC mortality rates in New Jersey were substantially lower than national rates, both overall and among Whites. The national gender pattern matched the pattern for New Jersey. Nationally, Whites had the highest rate, followed very closely by Hispanics, and Blacks had the lowest rates. This stands in contrast to New Jersey, where Whites had the lowest rate.

Rates of safety belt use in New Jersey were higher among females than males in 2009. Whites had the highest rate of safety belt use, followed closely by Blacks; Hispanics had the lowest rate. Racial/ethnic differences were fairly small.

Comparison with national data. The New Jersey rate of safety belt use in 2009 roughly matched the national rate. As in New Jersey, females had a higher rate than males nationally. Also similar to New Jersey, Whites had the highest rate nationally and racial/ethnic differences were fairly small. However, Hispanics had a higher rate than Blacks nationally, the reverse of the pattern in New Jersey.

New Jersey males and females had roughly matching rates of riding with a driver who had been drinking alcohol in 2009. Hispanics had the highest rates, followed by Whites and then Blacks. Racial/ethnic differences were very small for this behavior.

Comparison with national data. In 2009, the New Jersey rate of riding with a driver who had been drinking was lower than the national rate. As in New Jersey, females and males had matching rates nationally. Also similar to New Jersey, Hispanics had the highest rate nationally. However, Blacks had a higher rate than Whites nationally, the reverse of the pattern in New Jersey.

Violence

(homicide, physical fighting, weapon carrying)

Homicide rates in New Jersey increased slightly among older adolescents, primarily due to a substantial increase among Black males in this age group. Rates for other subgroups were based on fewer than 20 deaths; thus were unsuitable for analyses.

Comparison with national data. The national homicide rate among older adolescents was flat from baseline, in contrast to the small increase in New Jersey. The national rate for Black older adolescents was also flat, in contrast to a large increase in New Jersey for that group. The overall homicide rate for older adolescents in New Jersey was slightly lower than national rate for that group. However, the rate for older adolescent Black males in New Jersey was much higher than the corresponding national rate.

The New Jersey rate of physical fighting was twice as high among males compared to females. Blacks had the highest rate, followed closely by Hispanics. Whites had the lowest rate.

Comparison with national data. The 2009 New Jersey rate of physical fighting was lower than the national rate. The national gender and racial/ethnic patterns matched the patterns noted for New Jersey.

The overall rate of weapon carrying among male adolescents in New Jersey was nearly four times the rate of females in 2009. Blacks had the highest rates of this behavior, followed by Hispanics and then Whites.

Comparison with national data. The overall rate of weapon carrying in New Jersey was much lower than the national rate in 2009. The national gender pattern matched the pattern noted for New Jersey.  Nationally, Whites had highest rates, followed by Hispanics, then Blacks, the opposite of the pattern noted in New Jersey.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

(binge drinking, marijuana use, suicide)

Rates of binge drinking in New Jersey were higher for males than females in 2009. Whites had the highest rates, followed by Hispanics and then Blacks, with fairly large differences in rates.

Comparison with national data. Nationally, males and females had roughly matching rates, in contrast to higher rates among males in New Jersey. The national racial/ethnic pattern roughly matched the pattern noted for New Jersey.

Rates of marijuana use in New Jersey were higher among males than females in 2009. Whites had the highest rates; Hispanics and Blacks had matching rates.

Comparison with national data. The national gender and race/ethnicity patterns roughly matched the patterns for New Jersey.

The baseline suicide rate was based on fewer than 20 deaths, as were rates for most subgroups. These rates were unsuitable for analyses. Thus no comparisons could be made from baseline or among subgroups in 2007.

Comparison with national data. In 2007, the New Jersey suicide rate was substantially lower than the national rate, both overall and among males.

Reproductive Health

(sexual inexperience, no current sexual activity, condom use)

Please note, for the first two objectives, the text and tables present findings about adolescents who are sexually experienced and currently sexually active, the inverse of the actual objective. For the third objective, the table presents findings for lack of condom use, the inverse of the objective. The text describes condom use. (See Data Notes & Limitations).

In 2009, New Jersey rates of adolescents having engaged in sexual intercourse were higher for males than females. Hispanics had the highest rates, followed by Blacks and then Whites.

Comparison with national data. In 2009, the New Jersey rate of sexually experienced adolescents matched the national rate. The New Jersey rate for Hispanics was higher than the national rate for Hispanics; conversely, the New Jersey rate for Blacks was lower than the national rate for that group. Nationally, males and females had matching rates, in contrast to higher rates for males in New Jersey. As in New Jersey, Whites had the lowest rate nationally; however Blacks had a higher rate than Hispanics nationally, the reverse of the pattern in New Jersey.

The rate of sexually experienced adolescents in New Jersey reporting current sexual activity was equal for males and females. Hispanics had the highest rate, followed by Blacks, and then Whites.

Comparison with national data. The New Jersey rate of currently sexually active adolescents roughly matched the national rate. The New Jersey rate for Blacks was much lower than the national rate for that group. Nationally, females had higher rates than males, in contrast to matching rates in New Jersey. As in New Jersey, Whites had the lowest rate nationally; however Blacks had a higher rate than Hispanics nationally, the reverse of the pattern in New Jersey.

Rates of adolescent condom use in New Jersey were much higher among males than females in 2009. Hispanics and Whites had similar rates.

Comparison with national data. The overall rate of condom use in New Jersey was higher than the national rate in 2009; the rate for Hispanics in New Jersey was much higher than the national rate for that group. The national gender pattern matched the pattern noted for New Jersey. Nationally, Whites had a higher rate than Hispanics, in contrast to similar rates in New Jersey.

Chronic Disease Prevention

(no data)

Additional data may be available at: http://ibis.health.state.nm.us/home/Welcome.html