Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States.
Abstract
While young racial/ethnic groups are the fastest growing population in the United
States, data about substance-related disorders among adolescents of various racial/ethnic
backgrounds are lacking.To examine the magnitude of past-year DSM-IV substance-related
disorders (alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin, analgesic
opioids, stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers) among adolescents of white, Hispanic,
African American, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander, and multiple race/ethnicity.The
2005 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.Academic research.Noninstitutionalized
household adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.Substance-related disorders were assessed
by standardized survey questions administered using the audio computer-assisted self-interviewing
method.Of 72 561 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years, 37.0% used alcohol or drugs in the
past year; 7.9% met criteria for a substance-related disorder, with Native Americans
having the highest prevalence of use (47.5%) and disorder (15.0%). Analgesic opioids
were the second most commonly used illegal drugs, following marijuana, in all racial/ethnic
groups; analgesic opioid use was comparatively prevalent among adolescents of Native
American (9.7%) and multiple race/ethnicity (8.8%). Among 27 705 past-year alcohol
or drug users, Native Americans (31.5%), adolescents of multiple race/ethnicity (25.2%),
adolescents of white race/ethnicity (22.9%), and Hispanics (21.0%) had the highest
rates of substance-related disorders. Adolescents used marijuana more frequently than
alcohol or other drugs, and 25.9% of marijuana users met criteria for marijuana abuse
or dependence. After controlling for adolescents' age, socioeconomic variables, population
density of residence, self-rated health, and survey year, adjusted analyses of adolescent
substance users indicated elevated odds of substance-related disorders among Native
Americans, adolescents of multiple race/ethnicity, adolescents of white race/ethnicity,
and Hispanics compared with African Americans; African Americans did not differ from
Asians or Pacific Islanders.Substance use is widespread among adolescents of Native
American, white, Hispanic, and multiple race/ethnicity. These groups also are disproportionately
affected by substance-related disorders.
Type
Journal articleSubject
HumansSubstance-Related Disorders
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted
Prevalence
Interview, Psychological
Demography
Socioeconomic Factors
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Adolescent
Child
Population Groups
United States
Female
Male
Self Report
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/19985Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.120Publication Info
Wu, Li-Tzy; Woody, George E; Yang, Chongming; Pan, Jeng-Jong; & Blazer, Dan G (2011). Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United
States. Archives of general psychiatry, 68(11). pp. 1176-1185. 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.120. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/19985.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Daniel German Blazer
J. P. Gibbons Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry
I am currently semi-retired. Most of my recent work has been focused on roles with
the National Academy of Medicine (former Institute of Medicine). I have chaired three
committees during the past four years, one on the mental health and substance use workforce,
one on cognitive aging, and one on hearing loss in adults. I currently also chair
the Board on the Health of Select Populations for the National Academies. In the past
I have been PI on a number of research
Li-Tzy Wu
Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Education/Training: Pre- and post-doctoral training in mental health service research,
psychiatric epidemiology (NIMH T32), and addiction epidemiology (NIDA T32) from Johns
Hopkins University School of Public Health (Maryland); Fellow of the NIH Summer Institute
on the Design and Conduct of Randomized Clinical Trials.Director: Duke Community Based
Substance Use Disorder Research Program.Research interests: COVID-19, Opioid misuse,
Opioid overdose, Opioid use disorder
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