Prevalence and Correlates of Substance Use Among High School Students in South Africa and the United States

Datos Bibliográficos

ID11021357
AutoresP Reddy (0000-0002-0432-9060, South African Medical Research Council), K Resnicow (0000-0003-1416-9627, South African Medical Research Council), Riyadh G Omardien (South African Medical Research Council), Riyadh Omardien (Priscilla Reddy is with the Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Kenneth Resnicow is with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Riyadh Omardien and Nilen Kambaran are with ARCH Actuarial Consulting, Cape Town.), Nilen Sunder Kambaran (South African Medical Research Council), Nilen Kambaran (Priscilla Reddy is with the Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Kenneth Resnicow is with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Riyadh Omardien and Nilen Kambaran are with ARCH Actuarial Consulting, Cape Town.)
Año2007
Volumen97
Número10
Páginas1859-1864
Fecha de publicación2007-10-01
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
EditorialAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2006.086330
PMID17761580
PMCIDPMC1994193
OpenAlexW2064902682
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas20
Referencias citadas6

Objectives. We compared prevalence rates and correlates of substance use among high school students in South Africa and the United States. Methods. We used weighted data from 2 nationally representative surveys of high school students. We conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses and examined between-country differences in rates and correlates of substance use were examined. Results. Rates of past-month alcohol and marijuana use were lower among South African students than among US students, but rates of illicit hard drug use were higher. Correlates of use in the 2 countries differed. For example, female gender was protective against tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use in South Africa, whereas in the United States it was protective only against marijuana use. Black race/ethnicity was associated with lower rates of past-month cigarette and alcohol use in both countries, but the protective effect for alcohol use was stronger in South Africa. Conclusions. Crosscultural studies can elucidate common and culturally unique pathways to drug use. Our results can inform future research, policies, and behavioral interventions in South Africa

Environmental health · Psychiatry · Sociology · Substance abuse · Substance use · Demography · Medicine · Psychology · School Health and Nursing Education · Smoking Behavior and Cessation · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes