Abstract
Introduction There is a critical need for the most current information available on the prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD) among immigrants vis-à-vis that of individuals born in the United States (US). We report the prevalence of SUDs among immigrants from major world regions and top immigrant-sending countries, and assess key moderators (i.e., age, gender, family income, age of migration, time in US) of the relationship between immigrant status and SUD risk. Method The data source used for the present study is the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III, 2012–2013), a nationally representative survey of 36,309 civilian, non-institutionalized adults ages 18 and older in the US. Logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between immigrant status and SUD risk. Results Immigrants were found to be substantially less likely than US-born individuals to be diagnosed with a past-year or lifetime SUD, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and opioid use disorders. These findings held across major world region and among immigrants from the top-ten immigrant sending nations, and across differences in age, gender, family income, age of migration, and time spent in the US. Conclusions Results from the present study provide up-to-date and cogent evidence that immigrants use alcohol and drugs, and meet criteria for SUDs, at far lower rates than do US-born individuals. Moreover, we provide new evidence that the protective effect of nativity holds for immigrants from an array of global regions and sending countries, and across key demographic and migration-related differences.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 169-173 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Addictive Behaviors |
| Volume | 76 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2018 |
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Keywords
- Alcohol and drug use
- Immigrant paradox
- Immigrants
- Substance use disorders
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Clinical Psychology
- Toxicology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Substance use disorders among immigrants in the United States : A research update. / Salas-Wright, Christopher P.; Vaughn, Michael G.; Clark Goings, Trenette T.; Córdova, David; Schwartz, Seth J.
In: Addictive Behaviors, Vol. 76, 01.01.2018, p. 169-173.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Substance use disorders among immigrants in the United States
T2 - A research update
AU - Salas-Wright, Christopher P.
AU - Vaughn, Michael G.
AU - Clark Goings, Trenette T.
AU - Córdova, David
AU - Schwartz, Seth J
PY - 2018/1/1
Y1 - 2018/1/1
N2 - Introduction There is a critical need for the most current information available on the prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD) among immigrants vis-à-vis that of individuals born in the United States (US). We report the prevalence of SUDs among immigrants from major world regions and top immigrant-sending countries, and assess key moderators (i.e., age, gender, family income, age of migration, time in US) of the relationship between immigrant status and SUD risk. Method The data source used for the present study is the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III, 2012–2013), a nationally representative survey of 36,309 civilian, non-institutionalized adults ages 18 and older in the US. Logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between immigrant status and SUD risk. Results Immigrants were found to be substantially less likely than US-born individuals to be diagnosed with a past-year or lifetime SUD, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and opioid use disorders. These findings held across major world region and among immigrants from the top-ten immigrant sending nations, and across differences in age, gender, family income, age of migration, and time spent in the US. Conclusions Results from the present study provide up-to-date and cogent evidence that immigrants use alcohol and drugs, and meet criteria for SUDs, at far lower rates than do US-born individuals. Moreover, we provide new evidence that the protective effect of nativity holds for immigrants from an array of global regions and sending countries, and across key demographic and migration-related differences.
AB - Introduction There is a critical need for the most current information available on the prevalence of substance use disorders (SUD) among immigrants vis-à-vis that of individuals born in the United States (US). We report the prevalence of SUDs among immigrants from major world regions and top immigrant-sending countries, and assess key moderators (i.e., age, gender, family income, age of migration, time in US) of the relationship between immigrant status and SUD risk. Method The data source used for the present study is the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III, 2012–2013), a nationally representative survey of 36,309 civilian, non-institutionalized adults ages 18 and older in the US. Logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between immigrant status and SUD risk. Results Immigrants were found to be substantially less likely than US-born individuals to be diagnosed with a past-year or lifetime SUD, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, and opioid use disorders. These findings held across major world region and among immigrants from the top-ten immigrant sending nations, and across differences in age, gender, family income, age of migration, and time spent in the US. Conclusions Results from the present study provide up-to-date and cogent evidence that immigrants use alcohol and drugs, and meet criteria for SUDs, at far lower rates than do US-born individuals. Moreover, we provide new evidence that the protective effect of nativity holds for immigrants from an array of global regions and sending countries, and across key demographic and migration-related differences.
KW - Alcohol and drug use
KW - Immigrant paradox
KW - Immigrants
KW - Substance use disorders
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85027984005&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.08.014
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.08.014
M3 - Article
C2 - 28843730
AN - SCOPUS:85027984005
VL - 76
SP - 169
EP - 173
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
SN - 0306-4603
ER -