Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115516

HyeonSuk Kim, MPH, PhD, School of Public Health and School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, 1420 Washington Heights, SPH II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, 734-763-8299, hyeonsuk@umich.edu

Alcohol drinking rates for Asian American adolescents are increasing and becoming a major health concern. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of grade point average,emotional characteristics, alcohol drinking of best friends, and relationship with parents on adolescent alcohol drinking. Logistic regression using STATA was used to examine alcohol drinking behavior among 1584 Asian American adolescents who participated in Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

Males who were older were more likely to drink alcohol, but female age was not significant. GPA was not associated with alcohol drinking for both genders. Adolescent self-esteem and depressive mood were not related to alcohol drinking behavior for both genders. For males, the relationship with parents was also not associated with alcohol use. Females who had a poor relationship with their father were more likely to drink alcohol, but the relationship with mother was not significant. Adolescents who have more best friends that drinking alcohol(male OR: 2.033; female OR: 3.019) were more likely to drink alcohol in male and females.

Alcohol use by best friends was the strongest predictor of alcohol use among Asian Americans, regardless of gender. Further, the quality of relationship with father was also a substantial influence in female adolescents, whereas, the relationship with mother was not. The implications of these findings on the role of parents and peers in the alcohol uses must be considered in terms of a cultural and gender perspective when designing interventions and education for Asian American adolescents.

Learning Objectives:

• • Identify age, GPA, emotional character, parents and friends’ factors that influence alcohol drinking behavior
• • Understand how parent, friends, and intrapersonal factors impact alcohol drinking behavior in Asian American adolescents
• • Recognize the gender and cultural perspectives for prevention and reduction programs of alcohol drinking among Asian American adolescents

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Alcohol Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.