BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this investigation was to test whether the gateway hypothesis of drug initiation sequencing applies equally well to high-risk African-American and Caucasian youth. METHODS: The study sample (N = 618, mean age = 15.5, SD = 1.2) represented the population of residents in the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS) who had initiated marijuana and nicotine use. RESULTS: As hypothesized, African-American youth were significantly more likely to initiate marijuana use before cigarette use. Over one-third of African Americans reported initiating marijuana before cigarettes (37.9%), compared to less than one-quarter of youth in the other ethnic groups (Caucasian = 17.3%, Latino/Latina = 21.7%, Biracial/Other = 20.8%). Further, multinomial simulation and logistic regression models revealed that African-American youth were significantly more likely than other ethnic groups to initiate marijuana before cigarettes (Adjusted OR = 3.53, CI = 1.92-6.46). CONCLUSIONS/SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Findings suggest that the hypothesized gateway sequence may not apply equally well to African-Americans, and that prevention efforts based on this theory may need to be amended for these youth.
BACKGROUND/ OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this investigation was to test whether the gateway hypothesis of drug initiation sequencing applies equally well to high-risk African-American and Caucasian youth. METHODS: The study sample (N = 618, mean age = 15.5, SD = 1.2) represented the population of residents in the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS) who had initiated marijuana and nicotine use. RESULTS: As hypothesized, African-American youth were significantly more likely to initiate marijuana use before cigarette use. Over one-third of African Americans reported initiating marijuana before cigarettes (37.9%), compared to less than one-quarter of youth in the other ethnic groups (Caucasian = 17.3%, Latino/Latina = 21.7%, Biracial/Other = 20.8%). Further, multinomial simulation and logistic regression models revealed that African-American youth were significantly more likely than other ethnic groups to initiate marijuana before cigarettes (Adjusted OR = 3.53, CI = 1.92-6.46). CONCLUSIONS/SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Findings suggest that the hypothesized gateway sequence may not apply equally well to African-Americans, and that prevention efforts based on this theory may need to be amended for these youth.
Authors: Ralph E Tarter; Michael Vanyukov; Levent Kirisci; Maureen Reynolds; Duncan B Clark Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2006-12 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: João Maurício Castaldelli-Maia; Sérgio Nicastri; Lúcio Garcia de Oliveira; Arthur Guerra de Andrade; Silvia S Martins Journal: Exp Clin Psychopharmacol Date: 2014-08-25 Impact factor: 3.157
Authors: João Mauricio Castaldelli-Maia; Silvia S Martins; Lúcio Garcia de Oliveira; Margriet van Laar; Arthur Guerra de Andrade; Sergio Nicastri Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2013-08-06 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Patricia Simon; Deepa R Camenga; Grace Kong; Christian M Connell; Meghan E Morean; Dana A Cavallo; Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin Journal: Tob Regul Sci Date: 2017-01-01