Gender differences in rural adolescent drinking patterns.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in rural adolescent male and female drinking patterns, problem drinking behavior, and the factors associated with problem drinking behavior.


METHODS
An anonymous written survey was administered to 2,297 adolescents, aged 12 to 18 years, in a rural Mississippi River Delta county. Potential risk factors for problem drinking behavior examined included demographic, behavioral, peer, and parental characteristics. Drinking patterns were examined separately for male and female adolescent drinkers.


RESULTS
Individual factors associated with problem drinking behavior for these rural adolescents were consistent with previous research. However, these factors were gender specific in prevalence. Males were more likely than females to report all of the behavioral and peer risk factors associated with problem drinking, except depressive symptoms, which were more frequently reported by females than males. The interactions of gender with race and gender with peer approval of drinking were significantly associated with problem drinking. The ratio of male to female problem drinkers among African-American adolescents was twice as high as the ratio among Caucasian adolescents. Females were much more strongly influenced by peer disapproval of drinking than were males.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevention and intervention programs may be more effective for rural females if they target depression and focus on support systems, whereas intensive programs for adolescents with multiple high risk behaviors may be more effective for rural males.
Pope
S K
SK
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Department of Pediatrics, Little Rock 72205.
Smith
P D
PD
Wayne
J B
JB
Kelleher
K J
KJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008922:Mississippi; D010379:Peer Group; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D012925:Social Conformity