Substance abuse among young Latinos
I would like to research about substance abuse among young Latinos. Study results of existing treatment programs, family and culture role on addiction trends on this group. I would like to define the needs and most most effective strategies to deal with this problem.
Read about the projects of other 2014 California Health Journalism Fellows.
Los Angeles County , California alone contains 4.9 million Hispanic or 9% of the nation's Hispanic population of 53 million according to the U.S. Census Bureau 2012.
New research recently released by The Partnership at Drugfree Hispanic teen drug use is significantly higher than other ethnic groups.
More than half of Hispanic teens (54 percent) reported having used an illicit drug, versus 45 percent for African-Americans teens and 43 percent for Caucasian teens.
The research sponsored by MetLife Foundation shows that Hispanic teens are using drugs at alarmingly higher levels when compared to teens from other ethnic groups.
Hispanic teens are now almost twice as likely as they were two years ago to have misused or abused prescription medicine al least once in their lifetime .
One in seven Hispanic teens (16 percent) reported they engaged in the risky behavior of mixing alcohol with abusing prescription drugs (without prescription) compared to 11 percent for Caucasian teens and 6 percent for African-American teens.
According to The Office of Adolescent Health at The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services nationally alcohol is the substance abused most frequently by adolescents, followed by marijuana and tobacco. In the past month, fourty percent of high school seniors reported drinking some alcohol, almost fifteen percent of adolescents abused marijuana, and thirteen percent of adolescents reported smoking cigarettes.
Hispanic parents face challenges when protecting their kids from drug and alcohol abuse. Even though Hispanic parents understand that teens who start using drugs and alcohol at a younger age are more susceptible to substance abuse when they get older; Hispanic parents are more likely to be permissive toward their teen's substance abuse problems as they get older.
However within Latino young people there seems to be difference on substance abuse depending on gender according to The National Institute on Health.
In general Latinas are more likely than Latinos to abstain from using alcohol and illicit drugs and Latinas are less likely to drink heavily and become dependent on alcohol.
A number of investigators propose that cultural norms that discourage substance use by women may protect Latinas from substance abuse and dependence by promoting abstinence.
Studies published by The US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health state that an understanding of African American and Hispanic adolescent drug abuse occurs at the intersection of context, development, and behavior. The impact of racial/ethnic culture as one of the important contexts that influence adolescent development toward or away from social behaviors.
My goal would be to contribute to find answers for young people and families looking for resources to deal with this problem. I would like to reflect the results on investigative segments that could be broadcast within our newscast an additional material for on line content.