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

Abstract #116797

Dorothy C. Browne, DrPH¹, Patricia Ann Clubb, PhD¹, Felicia A. Browne, BS², and Michael L. Dennis, PhD³. (1) Drug Abuse Research Program, Morgan State University, Montebello Complex, Room 103 D, Baltimore, MD 21251, 443-885-4533, drdotbrowne@aol.com, (2) Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Public Health, CB #7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, (3) Chesnut Health Systems, 720 West Chestnut, Bloomington, IL 61701

Estimates of adolescent abuse and victimization range from 826,000 to 3,000,000 or 3 to 12 percent of the United States population from the ages of 12 to 17 (DHHS, 2001; Sedlack & Broadhurst, 1996). Studies reveal that a lifetime of victimization is associated with high rates of substance abuse (Stevens, Murphy, McKnight, 2003; Titus et al., 2003). Given the link between victimization and substance use, it is important to expand our knowledge of the prevalence of victimization among adolescent substance users and to determine if the correlates of victimization vary depending on the type of victimization experienced. The investigators will address in this study: 1) What is the prevalence of different types of victimization among adolescents involved in substance use? and (2) What are the correlates of the various types of victimization among adolescent substance users?

This investigation examines a sample of 4,421 adolescents (53% non-white) who participated in the 64 Adolescent Treatment Projects funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMSHA's) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). The prevalence of substance use in the past 90 days for this sample is as follows: alcohol (20%), marijuana (52%), heroin and crack (8%), and other drug use (8%). Of the total sample, 67% reported a history of lifetime victimization, Thirty-six percent reported victimization within the past year and 23% reported victimization within the past 90 days. The analysis reveals individual, family and social correlates of physical emotional and sexual abuse of adolescent substance users.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this presention, the audience will be able;
• To discuss the correlates of victimization among adolescent substance users.
• To understand the need for health and mental professionals to screen for victimization in the addressing adolescent substance use.

Keywords: Adolescents, Drug 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.