 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
|
| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Sara K. Vesely, PhD1, Roy F. Oman, PhD2, Cheryl Blalock Aspy, PhD3, Kenneth R. McLeroy, PhD4, and Christi Luby2. (1) Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, PO Box 26901, CHB, Room 309, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, 405-271-2229, sara-vesely@ouhsc.edu, (2) Department of Health Promotion Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, P.O. Box 26901, Rm. 369, Oklahoma City, OK 73190, (3) Family & Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 900 NE 10th St. - FMC 2209, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, (4) School of Rural Public Health, 3000 Briarcrest Drive, Suite 310, Bryan, TX 77802
Youth assets (e.g., role models, community involvement) have been proposed as potential positive factors that help to protect youth from engaging in risk behavior. Although it is believed that youth with more assets are less likely to participate in risky behavior compared to youth with fewer assets, there is little empirical evidence to support this belief. This study evaluates the relationship between the number of assets youth possess and substance abuse outcomes. Data were collected from inner-city youth and their parents using in-home, in-person interviews (N=1,350 youth/parent paired interviews). Logistic regression, controlling for associated demographic characteristics, was used to assess the relationship between the number of assets (up to nine) and three outcomes: non-use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. The odds ratio (OR) for the number of assets (0 to 9) in each analysis was significant: non-use of tobacco, OR=1.48 (95% CI, 1.36-1.62); non-use of alcohol, OR=1.32 (95% CI, 1.22-1.43); and non-use of drugs, OR=1.45 (95% CI 1.31-1.62) For example, the odds of non-use of tobacco are about 1.5 higher for each additional asset a youth possesses (i.e., youth with any five assets are nearly 1.5 times more likely to be a non-user of tobacco than youth with any four assets). An increasing number of youth assets increases the odds of being a non-user of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs. Interventions using the youth development framework should focus on increasing the total number of assets as well as specific assets to prevent the use of tobacco, alcohol, and/or drugs.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.