Asians constitute the largest growing minority in the United States. However, inaccurate perceptions and stereotypes continue to mask a full understanding of the state of knowledge regarding their alcohol and other drug abuse. Much of the existing research has continued this trend by categorizing Asians as "others" or persisting in its attempts to explain low incidence rates by investigating metabolic phenomena. More recent community-based studies have shown alarming incidence rates of specific substance abuse among different Asian ethnic groups. Asian heterogeneity and cultural barriers have also contributed to the lack of knowledge regarding substance abuse prevalence rates. Issues related to taboo, denial, and loss of face further mask understanding of the extent of the problem. Institutional barriers and the lack of community infrastructure make treatment efforts difficult in serving a myriad of Asian groups. For most Asians undergoing treatment, cultural factors need to be considered, including the involvement of the family as well as the risk related to its transition under immigration and the following acculturation patterns. An example of a specific treatment program and activity is discussed in relationship to the cultural factors indicated above. Finally, recommendations are specified for future treatment policy, research, and services.
Our results show that Mexican migrant men were significantly more likely to engage in several HIV high-risk behaviors after migration to the United States. However, a smaller proportion of men reported low condom use after migration, indicating increased adoption of some prevention methods. Our results also identified subgroups of Mexican migrants at elevated risk who should be targeted for HIV prevention interventions.
Methamphetamine and cocaine use have been associated with a vulnerability to HIV infection among men who have sex with men and among men who have sex with women but not specifically among Mexican migrants in the United States. The California-Mexico Epidemiological Surveillance Pilot was a venue-based targeted survey of male and female Mexican migrants living in rural and urban areas in California. Among men (n = 985), the percentage of methamphetamine/cocaine use in the past year was 21% overall, 20% in male work venues, 19% in community venues, and 25% in high-risk behavior venues. Among women, 17% reported methamphetamine/cocaine use in high-risk behavior venues. Among men, methamphetamine/cocaine use was significantly associated with age less than 35 years, having multiple sex partners, depressive symptoms, alcohol use, sexually
Preadolescent emotionally disturbed, learning-disabled, and normal boys were compared on social perspective-taking and behavioral measures to examine possible contributions of social cognitive deficits to children's adjustment problems. Antisocial-prosocial and withdrawn-gregarious behavior dimensions were studied through subscales derived from teacher ratings. Results indicated that across all groups, high perspective-taking was associated with significantly less withdrawal than was low perspective-taking; within groups, this finding was significant only for the emotionally disturbed boys. Contrary to theoretical assumptions, antisocial behavior was not significantly related to perspective-taking across the sample. Among emotionally disturbed boys, relatively higher affective perspective-taking was significantly correlated with higher antisocial behavior. This positive correlation for the emotionally disturbed group was significantly different from the nonsignificant negative correlation between antisocial behavior and perspective-taking among normals. Findings for learning-disabled boys were intermediate between results for emotionally disturbed and normal boys on both perspective-taking and behavioral measures, and the learning-disabled group generally did not differ significantly from either other group. Theoretical and clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
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