NCJ Number
128831
Editor(s)
G A Austin
Date Published
1988
Length
28 pages
Annotation
The risk factor approach to substance use and abuse, which hypothesizes that increased exposure to factors associated with drug use increases the chances of drug abuse occurring, notes that ethnic and racial minority youth are the largest single population at risk. These youth experience factors associated with drug abuse such as population growth, poverty, school failure, family problems, and criminal involvement and are more likely to come from families with a history of substance abuse.
Abstract
There is much evidence that Native American youth are at more risk than any other American population. Most of the research has focused on alcohol use among adult males living on reservations; fewer studies have addressed substance abuse among adolescents or use of street and illicit drugs. Since 1980, more studies have been undertaken on the epidemiology and etiology of various substance abuse problems among Native Americans including use of marijuana, inhalants, and other drugs. Three strong influences that increase the possibility of substance abuse among Native Americans are a sense of cultural dislocation, a lack of clear-cut sanctions against use among the community, and evidence of strong peer group support for drug use. Abstracts of major studies are included in this report. 112 references