Influence of Religious Beliefs and Involvement in Alcohol, Cigarette and Illicit Drug Use among a Cross-Sectional Study of Hispanic Adolescents Aging 12 – 17 Years Old

Involvement and religious beliefs (RB) has been identified as an important protective factor against substance use in the USA. For instance, early alcohol and cigarettes use is believed to serve as a pathway to illicit drugs use affecting its severity. This study examines the relationship between religious involvement/beliefs among Hispanic adolescents and the use of illicit drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. All findings are based on data from the 2009 National Survey of Drug Use and Health. The data was analyzed using SPSS (ver. 17) for descriptive and bivariate analysis (Chi-square) significant relationships were considered for p values < 0.05. Participants reporting that the RB were important showed significant differences for the alcohol consumption, cigarette use, and illicit drug use. Those reporting that RB influence their decisions showed significant differences for the alcohol consumption, cigarette use, and illicit drug use . Likewise those who reported that their friends shared their RB, showed significant differences for alcohol consumption, cigarette use, and illicit drug use than those who their friends did not. Religious service attendance was also associated as a protective factor for alcohol consumption, cigarette use, and illicit drug use. Gender differences were observed for all results but for the importance of their friends sharing the participant RB. Overall, Hispanic adolescents who reported that RB are a very important part of their lives were less likely to use of substance than those to reported that RB are not a very important part of their lives.