Browsing by Subject "racial differences"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Differences in Mexican Americans’ Prevalence of Chronic Pain and Co-Occurring Analgesic Medication and Substance Use Relative to Non-Hispanic White and Black Americans: Results from NHANES 1999–2004
    (Oxford, 2016-06) Hollingshead, Nicole A.; Vrany, Elizabeth A.; Stewart, Jesse C.; Hirsh, Adam T.; Department of Psychology, School of Science
    Objective. Little is known about the burgeoning Mexican American (MA) population’s pain experience. Methods. Using 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data, prevalence of chronic pain, analgesic medication use, and substance use were examined among MA, non-Hispanic White (NHW), and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) respondents. Logistic and linear regression models examined racial/ethnic differences in: 1) chronic pain prevalence among all respondents, 2) location and number of pain sites among respondents with chronic pain, and 3) analgesic medication and substance use among respondents with chronic pain. Results. Compared to NHWs and NHBs, MAs were less likely to report any chronic pain. Among respondents with chronic pain, MAs had higher odds of reporting headache, abdominal pain, and a greater number of pain sites than NHWs. Compared to NHWs, MAs with chronic pain had lower odds of reporting past-month analgesic medication and COX-2 inhibitor use. MAs with chronic pain had lower odds of being a current cigarette smoker and heavy alcohol drinker but had similar street drug/cocaine use relative to NHWs. Conclusions. Results suggest that: 1) MAs are less likely to develop chronic pain than NHWs, 2) MAs with chronic pain report greater headache and abdominal pain than NHWs, and 3) MAs with chronic pain are less likely to use analgesic medications and other substances compared to NHWs. These results suggest that providers should consider taking extra time to discuss analgesic medications with MAs. Future investigations should examine reasons underlying these racial/ethnic differences in chronic pain, as well as differences in the use of other substances, such as marijuana.
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    Examining differential relationships of substance use and risky sexual behavior among African American and white adolescents
    (2016-11-01) Banks, Devin E.; Zapolski, Tamika C. B.; Cyders, Melissa A.; Rand, Kevin L.
    Adolescents are at disproportionate risk for health consequences associated with risky sexual behavior (RSB), including sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. Racial disparities have also been observed with African American adolescents experiencing higher rates of such negative health outcomes than their White peers. Substance use, particularly alcohol and marijuana use, has been shown to predict RSB among adolescents of both racial groups. However, research suggests that alcohol use is more predictive of RSB in White adolescents than African American adolescents, perhaps due to significantly higher rates of alcohol use among White adolescents. Given recent trends indicating higher rates of marijuana use among African American adolescents than their White peers and a strong association between marijuana use and RSB among African American adolescents, marijuana use may better explain the relationship between substance use and risky sexual behavior among African Americans than alcohol use. Thus, the current study examined whether alcohol and marijuana use have differential effects on adolescent RSB by race at the event- and global-level of analysis. To that end, 113 adolescents ages 14-18 (African American = 93, White=20) completed self-report measures of substance use and RSB. Contrary to hypotheses, results revealed no racial differences in the relationship between substance use and RSB. However, post-hoc analyses revealed that marijuana use significantly predicted frequency of sex among African American adolescents above the effects of alcohol. These findings indicate that previously documented racial differences in the relationship between substance use and RSB may not be accounted for by marijuana use, but suggest that future studies continue to examine the unique impact of marijuana use on RSB, particularly among African American adolescents.
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    Racial Differences in the Link between Alcohol Expectancies and Adolescent Drinking
    (Elsevier, 2017-04) Banks, Devin E.; Zapolski, Tamika C. B.; Department of Psychology, School of Science
    Introduction Alcohol expectancies are important determinants and predictors of adolescent alcohol use. Research with African Americans has shown that the endorsement of positive alcohol expectancies differs from that of Whites during childhood and predicts different alcohol outcomes during young adulthood. However, limited research has explored racial differences in the relationship between expectancy endorsement and alcohol use in school-aged adolescents. The current study examines the effect of White or African American race on the relationship between positive alcohol expectancies and alcohol use. Methods Participants were 104 adolescents ages 12–18 who identified as either non-Hispanic White or non-Hispanic African American. Participants completed self-report measures of alcohol consumption and positive social alcohol expectancies. Results Preliminary analyses revealed no racial differences in alcohol expectancies or consumption. However, race moderated the relationship between alcohol expectancies and alcohol use such that more positive expectancies predicted alcohol use among White youth, but not African American youth. Conclusions These results suggest that alcohol expectancies, which were thought to be important mediators of the relationship between social and personality factors and adolescent alcohol use may not be as impactful for African Americans. Future research should focus on identifying factors posing unique risk for alcohol consumption in this population.