Effect of Recency of Immigration on Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among Hispanic High School Students in

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Effect of Recency of Immigration on Alcohol and
Marijuana Use Among Hispanic High School Students
in Massachusetts

• Laia Bécares
• Northeastern University
• NHSN Annual Conference
• September 16th, 2005

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Youth Experimental Drug Use

• 75 of U.S. high school students report lifetime
  alcohol use 44.9 recent alcohol use1
• 40.2 report lifetime marijuana use, 22.4 recent
  marijuana use1

1. CDC, 2004
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Hispanic Youth in US

• In 2003, 24.9 million youths aged 12 to 17 in the
  U.S
• Almost 4 million (16.1) were of Hispanic
  origin2
• About 3.1 million (77.8) of Hispanic youths were
  U.S.-born2

2. SAMHSA, 2005
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Hispanic Youth Drug Use
Source CDC, 2004
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Differences Between Hispanic Youth
Source SAMHSA, 2005
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Aim of Study

• To assess the association between recency of
  immigration and lifetime, recent (past 30 days),
  and early initiation (before age 13) to alcohol
  and marijuana use among Hispanic high school
  students in Massachusetts

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Methods YRBS Data

• Merged YRBS data from 1997, 1999, 2001 and 2003
  Massachusetts surveys
• Subsample of Hispanic students (N1,643)
• 51 males and 49 females

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Methods Analysis

• Independent Variable
• Recency of Immigration
• In US less than 3 years (n228)
• In US 4-6 years (n137)
• More than 6 years but not all life (n408)
• Always lived in US (n871)
• Dependent Variables
• Alcohol
• Lifetime recent (past 30 days) early initiation
  (prior to age 13)
• Marijuana
• Lifetime recent early initiation

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Methods Analysis (continued)

• Dichotomized responses to dependent variables
  (Y/N)
• Gender and age differences assessed via
  chi-square analysis (sig. at plt.05)
• One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)
  controlling for age and gender used to assess
  differences in marijuana and alcohol use
• Data weighted to adjust for selection
  probabilities

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Sample Characteristics Grade
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Sample Characteristics Immigration
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Results Overall Drug Use

• Gender differences
• Males were significantly more likely than females
  to report early initiation to alcohol (plt.01)
  lifetime, recent, and early initiation to
  marijuana use (plt.01)
• No significant gender differences in lifetime or
  recent alcohol use
• Age differences
• Age differences were found in lifetime, recent,
  and early initiation of marijuana use (plt.01), as
  well as in lifetime and early initiation of
  alcohol use (plt.01)

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Results Overall Alcohol Use
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Results Overall Marijuana Use
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p .05 p .001 I 3 yrs in US II 4-6
yrs in US IIIgt6 yrs in US IV Always lived in
US
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Conclusions

• Non-immigrant Hispanic students reported higher
  rates of recent (past 30 days) alcohol use
  lifetime, and recent marijuana use
• Recent immigrants reported lower rates of alcohol
  and marijuana use in all categories, compared to
  all other groups
• No constant pattern shown by late immigrants and
  Hispanics living in the U.S. between 4 and 6
  years
• Results corroborate previous findings regarding
  the impact of recency of immigration on Hispanic
  adolescent substance use4

4. Vega, Zimmerman, Gil, Warheit, and Apospori,
1993
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Limitations

• No differentiation among Hispanic subgroups
• Data only reflect substance use of Hispanic youth
  in school

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Acknowledgments

• Anita Raj, Ph.D., Boston University School of
  Public Health
• Sandra Arévalo, M.A., Northeastern University
• Hortensia Amaro, Ph.D., Northeastern University
• New Investigator Committee Members

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• Thank you