Epidemiology of Drug Use among Biracial/Ethnic Youth and Young Adults: Results from a U.S. Population-Based Survey

Abstract

This study estimates the prevalence of cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use in a nationally representative sample of monoracial/ethnic and biracial/ethnic youth and young adults. The authors consider 16 racial/ethnic categories and used four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The analysis sample consists of 20,745 individuals in Wave 1. The primary statistical methodology used in the present study is logistic regression with sample weights. Findings suggest that participants who self-report two races/ethnicities have prevalence rates that are intermediate to those of the two corresponding monoracial/ethnic rates. For example, Black-American Indians reported cigarette smoking rates that were significantly lower than rates reported by American Indians but significantly higher than rates reported by Blacks. Groups with the highest prevalence of cigarette smoking at Wave 1 were American Indian, White-American Indian, White, and Multiracial (people reporting three or more races/ethnicities). Groups with the highest prevalence of alcohol drinking at Wave 1 were White-American Indian, Multiracial, Hispanic, White, and White-Hispanic. Groups with the highest prevalence of marijuana smoking at Wave 1 were Black-Asian and American Indian. The authors found an interaction effect between race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Lower-class SES status may serve as a risk factor for biracial/ethnic adolescents while upper-class SES may serve as a protective factor for these youth. In general, biracial/ethnic individuals have prevalence rates that are intermediate to those of the two corresponding monoracial/ethnic rates.