Perceived discrimination and substance use among Latino adolescents.

Okamoto, Janet; Ritt-Olson, Anamara; Soto, Daniel; Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes; Unger, Jennifer B

Perceived discrimination and substance use among Latino adolescents.

Publication or External Link

https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/png/ajhb/2009/00000033/00000006/art00009?token=004f19243d024aa7c437a63736a6f5747745d3b664624443a446f644a467b4d616d3f4e4b34d438

Date

2009

Authors

Okamoto, Janet

Ritt-Olson, Anamara

Soto, Daniel

Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes

Unger, Jennifer B

Citation

Okamoto, Janet and Ritt-Olson, Anamara and Soto, Daniel and Baezconde-Garbanati, Lourdes and Unger, Jennifer B (2009) Perceived discrimination and substance use among Latino adolescents. American journal of health behavior, 33 (6). pp. 718-727.

DRUM DOI

https://doi.org/10.13016/jf9p-dreo

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine perceived discrimination and substance use among Latino high school students. METHODS: Latino 9(th) graders (N = 1332) completed self-report measures of perceived discrimination and substance use behavior. RESULTS: Perceived discrimination was associated with lifetime use measures of smoking (OR = 1.73, P < 0.01), alcohol (OR = 1.53, P < 0.01), marijuana (OR = 1.70, P < 0.01), and inhalants (OR = 1.50, P < 0.05); and past 30 day measures of smoking (OR = 2.54, P < 0.01), alcohol (OR = 1.63, P < 0.01), marijuana (OR = 1.95, P < 0.01), and inhalants (OR = 1.64, P < 0.01), and binge drinking (OR = 1.84, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Latino adolescents who have higher perceptions of discrimination are at risk for substance use. Interventions to help Latino adolescents cope with feelings of discrimination may be a useful addition to substance use prevention programs.