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310425
Examining the relationship of past year delinquent behavior and the initiation of marijuana and cocaine in past month among youths aged 12 to 17 in the US
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
: 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM
Eric Nwazue, MD, MPH
,
School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Enyinnaya Merengwa, MD, MPH
,
School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Georgia Sawyer, MPH
,
School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Mian B. Hossain, PhD
,
School of Community Health and Policy, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD
Background: In 2012, 18.3% of youths aged 12 to 17 reported that they had gotten into a serious fight at school or at work in the past year; 11.8% had taken part in a group-against-group fight; and 5.6% attacked others in at least one instance with the intent to harm or seriously hurt them. In 2012, past month illicit drug use was reported by 17.5% of youths who had gotten into a serious fight at school or work in the past year compared with 7.6% of those who had not engaged in fighting at school or work. Objective: The objective of the study is to examine the association of past year delinquent behavior with the initiation of past month marijuana and cocaine use among youths aged 12 to 17. Data and Methods: The data for this research are taken from 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for youths aged 12 to 17. Several weighted logistic regression models were estimated to assess the association of past year marijuana and cocaine use with delinquent behavior among youths aged 12 to 17. Results: Logistic regression results show that youths aged 12 to 17 who are engaged in delinquent behavior in the past year are 1.5 times more likely to have initiated marijuana use and about two times more likely to have initiated cocaine use in the past month. Conclusion: Youths need to be kept engaged with social and educational activities that may allow them to be away from delinquent behavior.
Learning Areas:
Epidemiology
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe the levels of delinquent behavior of youths aged 12-17 years of age. Describe the association of past year delinquent behavior with the initiation of past month marijuana and cocaine use among youths aged 12 to 17 in the US. Describe that youths need to be kept engaged with social and educational activities that may allow them to be away from delinquent behavior.
Keyword(s): Youth Violence, Epidemiology
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctoral candidate in Public Health at Morgan State University working on research in the area of marijuana and cocaine use in the US.
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.
