Comparison of American Indian and Non-Indian Fourth to Sixth Graders Rates of Drug Use

• NCJ Number: 224557
• Journal: Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: 2008 Pages: 258-267
• Author(s): Kimberly A. Miller; Fred Beauvais; Martha Burnside; Pamela Jumper-Thurman
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 10 pages
• Grant Number(s): DA03371
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined drug use rates among younger children, specifically American Indian and non-Indian fourth to sixth grade students over a 10-year period.

Abstract

The data reflects the higher rates of drug use among Indian fourth to sixth graders that have been found for older youth, with a particularly high rate of marijuana use. Despite historically high rates of inhalant use among Indian youth, their rates are now similar to their non-Indian counterparts. Indian fourth to sixth grade students are displaying patterns of use that parallel those of older students with the possible implication that they are subjected earlier to societal attitudes that encourage drug use. Over the past 30 years, research has revealed high rates of drug use among American Indian youth in grades 7 to 12. However, little is known about drug use rates among younger children. This paper presents such research for both American Indian and non-Indian fourth to sixth grade students for “having gotten drunk,” the “use of marijuana,” the “use of inhalants,” and the use of “other” drugs over a 10-year period. Tables, figures and references