The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67871

Jamie L. Geier, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 622 W. 168th St, PH 18, New York, NY 10032, 212-305-6706, jlg57@columbia.edu, Parisa Tehranifar, MPH, Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 600 W. 168th St, PH 18, Room 18-128, New York, NY 10032, Lydia N. O'Donnell, EdD, Center for Research on High Risk Behavior, Education Development Center, Inc., 55 Chapel Street, Newton, MA 02458, and Ann Stueve, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University & Education Development Center, Inc., 622 W. 168th St, PH 18, New York, NY 10032.

Objective: In the face of racial/ethnic discrimination, adolescents may adopt maladaptive coping strategies, including substance use. This study examines the relationship between lifetime cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use and perceived discrimination in a sample of African American youth. Methods: As part of the Reach for Health program, 791 adolescents answered questions about their substance use behaviors and eight types of potential discrimination (e.g., verbal insults, being poorly treated by police and teachers) were assessed. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the relationship between substance use and exposure to discrimination, controlling for soci-demographic characteristics, peer substance use patterns, and attitudes about substance use. Results: Girls were more likely to report lifetime cigarette use, but there were no gender differences for lifetime use of alcohol and marijuana. Higher reports of perceived discrimination were associated with a greater likelihood of lifetime cigarette smoking, alcohol use, marijuana use, and being drunk on alcohol or high on drugs. Conclusion: Substance use was consistently associated with perceived discrimination, calling attention to the need to focus on structural dimensions of risk behaviors that have long-term consequences for the health of minority adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:
• Describe patterns of substance use in an at-risk sample of minority youth.
• Describe how racial/ethnic discrimination is associated with lifetime reports of cigarette, alcohol and marijuana use.

Keywords: Adolescent Health,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.