Predictors of Co-Occurring Substance Use among Asian Americans in Residential Treatment Programs

Minjeong Kim,Linda Chafetz,Jinhee Lee,Midori Nakajima

doi:10.4236/ojpsych.2019.92012

Minjeong Kim, Linda Chafetz + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.4236/ojpsych.2019.92012

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Abstract

Although severe and chronic mental disorders are common among Asian Americans in residential treatment programs, little has been known about the prevalence and predictors of co-occurring substance use in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of co-occurring substance use among Asian Americans with mental disorders in residential treatment programs. This cross-sectional study included 375 clinical records of Asian Americans from residential treatment programs between 2007 and 2011. Demographic variables, principal psychiatric diagnoses, and data on alcohol, stimulant, and marijuana use were obtained from the clinical records. Separate binary logistic regression analyses were used to examine the demographic and diagnostic contributions to the risk of each type of substance use. Findings of this study indicated that the prevalence of co-occurring substance use was about 53% in Asian Americans with mental disorders. Binary logistic regression analyses revealed that male gender, older age, and depressive disorder predicted more alcohol use, but homelessness and schizophrenia predicted less alcohol use. Male gender, homelessness, and smoking predicted more stimulant use. Male gender and younger age predicted more marijuana use. Based on the findings of this study, awareness about co-occurring substance use problems of ethnic minority psychiatric clients should be increased and appropriate substance use prevention and treatment programs should be developed and provided for high-risk groups.

Highlights

The US Asian American population grew by 43% between 2000 and 2010, compared to a 9.7% growth in the general population, making Asian Americans the fastest growing racial group [1]
Severe and chronic mental disorders are common among Asian Americans in residential treatment programs, little has been known about the prevalence and predictors of co-occurring substance use in this population
Findings of this study indicated that the prevalence of co-occurring substance use was about 53% in Asian Americans with mental disorders

Summary

Introduction

The US Asian American population grew by 43% between 2000 and 2010, compared to a 9.7% growth in the general population, making Asian Americans the fastest growing racial group [1]. The Asian American population is a heterogeneous group that includes at least 43 ethnic subgroups with different languages and dialects, immigration histories, religious beliefs, socioeconomic statuses, and traditional patterns for seeking health care These social and cultural differences among Asian Americans may affect their psychiatric clinical manifestations, severity of mental health problems, access to health care, and treatment compliance and outcomes [2]. Despite the lower risk of mental illness among Asian Americans, it is still important to investigate because recent studies have shown that Asian American patients were admitted to the San Francisco Psychiatric Emergency Services twice as frequently as European and Latino/a Americans They showed significantly higher functional impairment based on their Global Assessment Functioning (GAF) scores [4]. A prevalence study showed that schizophrenia and psychotic disorders, which are severe and chronic types of psychiatric disorders, are more common among Asian American veterans than among African American and Latino/a veterans [5]

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