Heterogeneity among Latinas and Latinos entering substance abuse treatment: Findings from a national database

Abstract

The current study examined differences in 30-day and lifetime substance use for a sample of Mexican American, Puerto Rican, and Cuban American men and women from the Drug Evaluation Network System, a national database on individuals seeking substance abuse treatment. There were significant gender and ethnic differences in recent and lifetime substance use after controlling for age, years of education, employment, medical, and psychological problems. Lifetime and 30-day substance use rates found in this study do not coincide with prevalence rates found in community samples of Latinas/os, indicating that the patterns of substance use may be different among individuals who seek substance abuse treatment than among those in the general population. The results of this study highlight the heterogeneity of Latinas/os who abuse substances.