Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• So, Marvin, MPH

Titel

Trends in Substance Use Among Multiracial Adolescents: Findings From the National Survey On Drug Use and Health, 2005-2014

Ist Teil von

• Journal of adolescent health, 2017-02, Vol.60 (2), p.S32-S32

Ort / Verlag

New York: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2017

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Although the mixed-race population is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population (Humes, jones, & Ramirez, 2011 ), little is known about the substance use behaviors of bi- and multi-racial people, particularly adolescents. Extant research has focused on White and monoracial minority youth (Clark, Doyle, & Clincy, 2013); what does exist suggests that multi-race individuals have substance use prevalence and initiation rates that are intermediate to and distinct from corresponding monoracial counterparts (Clark, Nguyen, & Kropko, 2013). Given the salience of racial/ ethnic self-identification during adolescence, investigation of substance use among the mixed-race group overall and stratified by specific race combinations is warranted. This study examined nationwide substance use among adolescents age 12-17 who indicated a racial/ethnic identity of two or more races. We used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a cross-sectional, nationally-representative survey of people aged 12 and above that examines levels and patterns of substance use in the U.S. Using bivariate and multivariate statistics, we estimated the age-, gender-, and race combination-specific prevalence of past month (i.e., current) substance use for several drugs. Prevalence ratios were calculated to determine mixed-race estimates relative to national averages, across time and socioeconomic status. This included use of marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol, and prescription pain relievers for non-medical reasons, as well as overall use. We limited race combination-specific analyses to groups with sufficient sample size: White-Black, White-Asian, and White-American Indian/Alaska Native (all with crosstabulations for Hispanic origin). Overall prevalence of substance use for mixed-race adolescents has been consistently higher than the national average for the past decade. Prevalence for both groups declined from 2005-2014, with prevalence ratios remaining consistent throughout. Current marijuana and alcohol use fluctuated over the decade, with a recent trend below the national average. Current cigarette and non-medical prescription pain reliever use remained elevated and persist, with prevalence ratios between (PR: 1.3-2.4) over the study period. We observed increasing prevalence ratios for overall substance use and all four specific substances, for males, older adolescents, and low-income subgroups over time. Prevalence ratios for specific race combinations remained consistent over time, but remain high, particularly for White-Black people (PR: 1.6-2.2) and White-American Indian/ Alaska Natives (PR: 2.3-3.8). Although mixed-race individuals constitute a small, heterogeneous subpopulation, clear and persistent disparities in measures of substance use, particularly for cigarettes and prescription pain relievers, among these youth are concerning. Contextualized with what is known about elevated mental health problems in this population (Whaley, et al., 2006), our findings suggest that extant research on racial/ethnic health disparities has hitherto neglected the growing mixed-race adolescent population. Breaking down the "general multiracial group" (Charmaraman, et al., 2014) is an important next step for advancing understanding of the behavioral health needs of specific multiracial groups. We discuss the implications of racial socialization and code-switching for disentangling the relationship between mixed-race identity and substance use, and offer research needed to formulate prevention and treatment programs for this group.