Skip to main content

Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wu, L-T; Woody, GE; Yang, C; Pan, J-J; Blazer, DG
Published in: Arch Gen Psychiatry
November 2011

CONTEXT: 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. OBJECTIVE: 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. DESIGN: The 2005 to 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. SETTING: Academic research. PARTICIPANTS: Noninstitutionalized household adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Substance-related disorders were assessed by standardized survey questions administered using the audio computer-assisted self-interviewing method. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Arch Gen Psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

1538-3636

Publication Date

November 2011

Volume

68

Issue

11

Start / End Page

1176 / 1185

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Self Report
  • Psychiatry
  • Prevalence
  • Population Groups
  • Male
  • Interview, Psychological
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Wu, L.-T., Woody, G. E., Yang, C., Pan, J.-J., & Blazer, D. G. (2011). Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 68(11), 1176–1185. https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.120
Wu, Li-Tzy, George E. Woody, Chongming Yang, Jeng-Jong Pan, and Dan G. Blazer. “Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States.Arch Gen Psychiatry 68, no. 11 (November 2011): 1176–85. https://doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.120.
Wu L-T, Woody GE, Yang C, Pan J-J, Blazer DG. Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;68(11):1176–85.
Wu, Li-Tzy, et al. “Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States.Arch Gen Psychiatry, vol. 68, no. 11, Nov. 2011, pp. 1176–85. Pubmed, doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.120.
Wu L-T, Woody GE, Yang C, Pan J-J, Blazer DG. Racial/ethnic variations in substance-related disorders among adolescents in the United States. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;68(11):1176–1185.

Published In

Arch Gen Psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

1538-3636

Publication Date

November 2011

Volume

68

Issue

11

Start / End Page

1176 / 1185

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Substance-Related Disorders
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Self Report
  • Psychiatry
  • Prevalence
  • Population Groups
  • Male
  • Interview, Psychological
  • Humans