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Risk Factors for Polydrug Use in a Native American Population

NCJ Number
222787
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 43 Issue: 3-4 Dated: 2008 Pages: 331-339
Author(s)
Stephen J. Kunitz
Date Published
2008
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study used the Diagnostic Interview Schedule to collect information on the use of alcohol and other substances from 1,086 Navajo Indians living on or near their reservation in the southwestern United States between 1993 and 1995.
Abstract
For the age groups examined (less than age 24, ages 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, and older than 54), Navajo men had a lifetime prevalence of nonalcoholic substance use similar to the national lifetime prevalence for the national sample. Navajo women, however, had lower lifetime prevalence than the national sample of women, except for the youngest age group. In all the analyses, the measure of conduct disorder was associated with increased risk of substance use, and age at first alcoholic drink was inversely related to the risk of substance use; the younger the age at first drink, the greater the number of substances used and the more likely was the use of each class of substances. Because alcohol dependence and the use of nonalcoholic substances share several important risk factors, most notably conduct disorder and age at first drink, it is not surprising that polysubstance use was associated with increased risk of alcohol dependence and with greater severity of alcoholism among those who were alcohol dependent. The interviews included questions from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Items that were included allowed for the diagnosis of both alcohol dependence and conduct disorder, as well as the use of other substances and the age of first and last use. Interviews occurred between May 1993 and September 1995. 2 tables, 1 figure, and 13 references

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