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Youth

Hispanic Middle School Students at Higher Risk of Substance Abuse

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

According to a recent study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, Hispanic middle school students may be more likely to engage in substance use, such as smoking, drinking, or using marijuana, compared to their peers from other ethnic and racial backgrounds. The study found that Asian students had the lowest rates of substance use, while Hispanic students had the highest rates. The research highlights the importance of culturally tailored substance-use prevention programs that address the unique factors influencing each group's risk.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hispanic middle school students were more likely to have ever used alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana compared to students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds.
  • Asian students had the lowest rates of substance use compared to Hispanic, white, and African American students.
  • Personal factors, such as confidence in saying "no" and perceived negative consequences, influenced Hispanic youth's risk of substance use.
  • A wider range of factors, including respect for parents and lower rates of substance use among older siblings and peers, contributed to Asian teens' relatively low rates of substance use.
  • Skills training and positive parent-child communication could help address personal factors linked to Hispanic students' higher rates of substance use.
  • Interventions that boost kids' sense of responsibility to their parents might help maintain lower rates of substance use, particularly among young Asian teens.
  • Most existing interventions have not been tailored to be culturally appropriate, suggesting a need for targeted prevention programs.

Statistics:

  • 22% of all students in the study reported ever using alcohol.
  • 10% admitted to smoking at some point.
  • 7% reported marijuana use.
  • 26% of Hispanic students said they had ever tried alcohol, compared to 21% of black students, 18% of whites, and just below 10% of Asians.
  • Hispanic middle schoolers had a higher probability of ever using cigarettes, alcohol, or marijuana compared to white students, even when accounting for other factors such as gender and family structure.

Sources:

  • Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
  • RAND Corporation
  • Health & Medicine Week via NewsRx.com

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