Alcohol Use Among Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White 7th-12th-Grade Students in the Southwestern United States

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study assessed rates of lifetime and current alcohol use among 7th- through 12th-grade Mexican American and non-Hispanic White students. Students from 55 middle and high schools from the southwestern U.S. completed a survey of alcohol use. Odds ratios were calculated for grade by gender by ethnicity comparisons for Mexican American boys (n = 2570) and girls (n = 3295), and non-Hispanic White boys (n = 1722) and girls (n = 2127). Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. Consistent with past studies, Mexican American students used alcohol less frequently than non-Hispanic White students, but binge drank more frequently. Somewhat surprisingly, among younger students more girls than boys reported current drinking, but among older students, fewer girls reported recent drunkenness or binge drinking. Grade in school moderated a number of ethnicity and gender differences. Higher rates of alcohol use among young girls compared to young boys may signal increased risk for girls, particularly among Mexican Americans.