Young Adult, Rural, African American Stimulant Users: Antecedents and Vulnerabilities

• NCJ Number: 229935
• Journal: Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: October-December 2009 Pages: 378-399
• Author(s): Teresa L. Kramer; Xiaotong Han; Brenda M. Booth
• Date Published: December 2009
• Length: 22 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 DA 015363
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study focuses on 18- to 21-year-old African-American stimulant users in the Arkansas Mississippi Delta.

Abstract

Early initiation of substance use appears to be an alarming trend among rural minorities. Most participants had no high school diploma and were unemployed; 74.5 percent had already been arrested. Substance use was initiated early, and nearly all of the men and three quarters of the women already met criteria for lifetime abuse or dependence. Only 18 percent reported they had ever received substance abuse treatment. The results suggest that substance use interventions in rural communities will require multi-faceted strategies addressing economic, educational, and healthcare disparities. Tables and references (Published Abstract)