Content area
Full text
Dear Editor,
The rates of alcohol consumption have increased among Latino adolescents (Johnston, Bachman, Schulenberg, 2008). This letter describes alcohol use and beliefs among a sample of urban, primarily Latino, adolescents and their parents. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 50 parent/adolescent dyads presenting for primary care at two community-based pediatrie health centers in New York City. The study assessed current drinking behaviors, beliefs regarding underage drinking, and preferences for programs to prevent early alcohol use in an urban Latino community.
BACKGROUND
Preventing underage drinking is a public health priority. Early alcohol use is particularly concerning, as it is associated with future problem drinking and escalation of other risk behaviors (Santelli, Robin, Brener, Lowry, 2001; Hingson, Heeren, Winter, 2006). While alcohol use is common among adolescents of all backgrounds, Latinos have the highest rates of early onset alcohol use and heavy drinking (Johnston et al., 2008).
Risks for early alcohol use are multifactorial, reflecting individual, family, and environmental influences (Zucker, Donovan, Masten, Mattson, Moss, 2008). The increased rates of drinking among urban Latino youth may be due to unique pressures in this community (Griffin, Botvin, Nichols, Scheier, 2004; GuilamoRamos, Jaccard, Johansson, Tunisi, 2004). Stress related to poverty, acculturation, and exposure to violence may all predispose to early experimentation. The recent Surgeon General's Report on underage drinking emphasizes the need for educational interventions to target families and be culturally appropriate. However, few interventions to prevent underage drinking have specifically targeted Latino youth (O'Donnell, Myint, Duran, Stueve, 2010; Pantin, Prado, Lopez, 2009). Further research is needed to design culturally appropriate interventions that are likely to be accepted among Latino families. In the current study, we conducted semistructured interviews with parent-adolescent dyads from an urban Latino community in order to assess current drinking behaviors, beliefs about underage drinking, and preferences for programs to prevent early alcohol use.
METHODS
A convenience sample of 50 parent/adolescent dyads presenting for primary care at two community-based pediatrie health centers in New York City was recruited to participate. After providing informed written consent, parents participated in a semistructured English or Spanish language individual interview with a trained, bilingual research assistant. Interviews were designed to last no more than 20 minutes. Adolescent and parent participants each received a $10 incentive. This study...