Substance Misuse among Native and Rural High School Students in Quebec

Abstract

A questionnaire exploring the smoking habits, past and current use of alcoholic beverages, cannabis, and other illicit drugs was distributed among Francophone and Native high school students in a rural area of Quebec. The lifetime prevalence figures indicated that use of illicit drugs was significantly higher among Native students. This held true particularly for stimulants and inhalants (p less than .001). Figures for the 1-year prevalence indicated that use of stimulants in Native students remained still significantly higher (p less than .01). However, consumption of alcoholic beverages was more important in Francophone students (p less than .05). A gender difference was observed in Native students, females reporting an earlier involvement with most substances under study. This tendency decreased with age. The implications of this study for the prevention of alcohol and substance abuse among rural and Native youths are discussed.

Longitudinal Drinking Patterns in Indigenous Sami and Non-Indigenous Youth in Northern Norway

“…Longitudinally, there was a relatively greater increase in 30-day drinking among Sami than non-Sami, but still significantly less drinking among Sami at follow-up. There are reports indicating that indigenous youth elsewhere initiate drinking earlier than non-indigenous youth, although the findings are mixed (Blum et al, 1992;Hawkins et al, 2004;Hughes & Dodder, 1994;Lalinec-Michaud et al, 1991;Liban & Smart, 1981;Pedersen, Spein, Sexton, and Kvernmo 111 1992). No comparable studies on age of alcohol debut exist among ethnic diverse adolescents in northern Norway.…”

“…Third, parental abstinence was about twice as high among the Sami parents than among the non-Sami. Parental drinking habits strongly influence youth drinking with excessive adult drinking being reported among many indigenous groups (Brems, 1996;Lalinec-Michaud et al, 1991;May, 1982;Pedersen, 1992). Finally, more Sami adolescents than non-Sami (10% vs. 4%) reported some Laestadian religious affiliation (Spein et al, 2004).…”

Trends in drug use among students in Brazil: analysis of four surveys in 1987, 1989, 1993 and 1997

“…An indication of the magnitude of this use may be obtained from epidemiological surveys, which are essential to the framing of public policies and are internationally acknowledged as useful (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7). Many regional studies in Brazil have expressed concern over the use of psychotropic drugs among students (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16).…”

La résilience scolaire comme indice d'acculturation chez les autochtones: bilan de recherches en milieux innus

“…Ainsi, les incidences de suicide chez les adolescents autochtones de certaines nations nordiques y sont trois fois plus élevées que chez les Eurocanadiens (Aldridge et St-John, 1991 ;Bagley, Wood et Khumar, 1990). Entre autres, la consommation précoce d'alcool et de stupéfiants représente un problème majeur dans les réserves (Adrian, Layne et Williams, 1990 ;Gfellner et Hundleby, 1995 ;Lalinec-Michaud, Subak, Ghadirian et Kovess, 1991).…”