Abstract
Purpose: This study examined the prevalence and differential self-reporting rates of the use of substances within a hospital-based adolescent primary care clinic and compared these data with national data. Method: A chart review was conducted from a probability sample of 300 adolescents who received primary care services during 1996-1997 at a large urban teaching hospital. The analyses were conducted on self-reported rates of substance use through the Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) protocol. Results: Analyses showed that in general, the period prevalence rates of the self-reported substance use mirror those of similar clinic samples as well as national data on adolescent substance use. However, logistic regression revealed that African American teens were more likely to report more substance use and were more likely to be criticized for drinking than White teens. These results contradict national annual studies such as NIDA’s Monitoring the Future where Whites teens report more substance use than African Americans teens. Conclusions: The context of the substance use disclosure appears to be important and may mediate differential self-reported substance use among African American and White adolescents. Because African Americans are underrepresented in mental health specialist services (MHSS), these data point to primary care settings in urban teaching hospitals as an important starting point for some African American teens to begin receiving MHSS such as substance use services.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Recognize the inconsistency of self-reported adolescent substance use 2. Evaluate the contradictions between national studies and community sample findings 3. Describe the effect of context as a mediator of self-reported adolescent substance use
Keywords: Screening, Primary Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.