Effect of Acculturation on Patterns of Hispanic Substance Use in Washington State

• NCJ Number: 222685
• Journal: Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 38 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 2008 Pages: 103-118
• Author(s): Scott Akins; Clayton Mosher; Chad L. Smith; Jane Florence Gauthier
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 16 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined the effect of acculturation on substance use among Hispanics in Washington State, which has a rural and dispersed Hispanic population.

Abstract

The study found that Hispanics who were "acculturated," as measured by a preference for using English rather than Spanish, were almost 13 times more likely to report current illegal drug use and more than 4 times more likely to report current hard drug use compared with nonacculturated Hispanics, i.e., those who preferred to use Spanish rather than English. Analyses of acculturation and alcohol use found that acculturated Hispanics were almost twice as likely to report current binge drinking and more than three times as likely to report drinking continuously for days in a row without sobering up. These finding provide further support for a growing body of research that shows the negative consequences of acculturation for Hispanics' substance use/abuse. Since acculturation is a likely outcome for Hispanic populations over time in the United States, research should focus on how to maximize the protective effects of the values of the family's culture of origin while minimizing the specific risk factors associated with the stress of acculturation, specifically the factors linked to substance use/abuse. Study data were obtained from the 2003 Washington State Needs Assessment Household Survey, a telephone household survey of adults designed to measure the extent of drug use. A total of 1,690 of the 6,713 individuals surveyed identified themselves as "Hispanic." Of these, 734 respondents completed the survey in Spanish (designated "nonacculturated Hispanics") and 956 chose to complete the survey in English (designated "acculturated Hispanics"). The two groups were compared on use patterns of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, other stimulants, heroin, pain relievers or other opiates, hallucinogens, tranquilizers, sedatives, or inhalants in the 30 days prior to completing the survey. 4 tables and 38 references