TY - JOUR
T1 - Variations in risk and promotive factors on substance use among urban American Indian youth
AU - Ayers, Stephanie
AU - Jager, Justin
AU - Kulis, Stephen S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Although roughly 70% of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI) population live in urban areas, research is scarce regarding this population. As a consequence, there is limited understanding about the salient socioenvironmental factors that aid in preventing substance use among urban AI communities. This study utilized a statewide, cross-sectional, school-based survey of urban AI adolescents (N = 2,375) to (a) examine the associations between substance use and risk and promotive factors within the family and peer group, and (b) explore how these associations vary by subgroups (gender, racial/ethnic background, and grade level). Results suggest that risk factors—familial substance use and antisocial peer affiliation—were associated with higher alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. However, these findings varied by subgroup. For males, involvement with antisocial peers was associated with greater marijuana use. Involvement with antisocial peers was also positively associated with alcohol and marijuana use for multiracial/multiethnic AI adolescents and those adolescents in 10th and 12th grades. The promotive factors—supportive family environment and prosocial peer affiliation—were not universally associated with lowered substance use by subgroup. This study advances understandings of the risk and promotive factors important in reducing and preventing substance use among urban AI adolescents. Experiencing familial substance use and affiliating with antisocial peers were the salient factors associated with increased substance use, particularly for urban AI adolescents who are older, male, and with multiracial/multiethnic AI backgrounds.
AB - Although roughly 70% of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI) population live in urban areas, research is scarce regarding this population. As a consequence, there is limited understanding about the salient socioenvironmental factors that aid in preventing substance use among urban AI communities. This study utilized a statewide, cross-sectional, school-based survey of urban AI adolescents (N = 2,375) to (a) examine the associations between substance use and risk and promotive factors within the family and peer group, and (b) explore how these associations vary by subgroups (gender, racial/ethnic background, and grade level). Results suggest that risk factors—familial substance use and antisocial peer affiliation—were associated with higher alcohol, cigarette, and marijuana use. However, these findings varied by subgroup. For males, involvement with antisocial peers was associated with greater marijuana use. Involvement with antisocial peers was also positively associated with alcohol and marijuana use for multiracial/multiethnic AI adolescents and those adolescents in 10th and 12th grades. The promotive factors—supportive family environment and prosocial peer affiliation—were not universally associated with lowered substance use by subgroup. This study advances understandings of the risk and promotive factors important in reducing and preventing substance use among urban AI adolescents. Experiencing familial substance use and affiliating with antisocial peers were the salient factors associated with increased substance use, particularly for urban AI adolescents who are older, male, and with multiracial/multiethnic AI backgrounds.
KW - American Indian
KW - Urban
KW - adolescents
KW - risk and promotive factors
KW - substance use
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U2 - 10.1080/15332640.2019.1598907
DO - 10.1080/15332640.2019.1598907
M3 - Article
C2 - 31076018
AN - SCOPUS:85065745592
SN - 1533-2640
VL - 20
SP - 187
EP - 210
JO - Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse
JF - Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse
IS - 2
ER -