260486 Recent substance use among military-connected youth: A latent class analysis of perceptions and experiences

Monday, October 29, 2012

Tamika D. Gilreath, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Substance use predisposes youth to a myriad health and social problems across the lifespan. Latent class analysis of data from the California Healthy Kids Survey was utilized to examine variation in past 30 day use of ATOD and their association with perceptions and experiences of military connected youth (N=1957). The latent class analysis revealed a three class solution. Youth in the first class report multiple deployments and being worried about their family member in service yet exhibit the lowest likelihood of recent substance use among military-connected youth. A second class was identified wherein respondents had a high probability of feeling that their family was not supported by the military or other military families. They had a lower probability of being worried about a family member and moderate likelihood of recent alcohol use. Respondents in the final class were likely to report family member deployment, moving, and low/moderate perceived support from the military and other military families. They were likely to be worried about a family member serving. In this class, youth had over an 80% chance of recent alcohol and/or marijuana use, a 60% chance of recent tobacco use, and a 54% chance of using other hard drugs. The final class represented 14% of the military connected youth. These findings have identified a subset of military youth who are likely to exhibit the use of multiple substances. These youth are identified by their perceptions of low support from the military and others (including teachers at their school).

Learning Areas:
Epidemiology

Learning Objectives:
1) Describe profiles of recent substance use among military-connected youth. 2) Discuss correlates of recent substance use among military-connected youth.

Keywords: Adolescents, Drug Use

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have seven years of experience conducting research related to adolescent substance use which includes peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national conferences.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.