title: Risk-taking and abusive behaviors among ethnic minorities.
abstract: The health status and health outcomes of many ethnic minorities have remained poor, or have deteriorated, despite massive health promotion campaigns. Multiple factors that encourage ethnic minorities to engage in high-risk behaviors and those that discourage health promotive behaviors must be closely examined before any health interventions are likely to be successful in decreasing substance abuse, high-risk sex, accidental deaths and injuries, and violence. Cultural and contextual factors may put some ethnic minorities in jeopardy and at higher risk for poorer health than their White counterparts (B. W. K. Yee, 1995, in press). This review article identifies contributing factors in high-risk behaviors and highlights research gaps for Americans of African, Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Hispanic descent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Gerontology, Univesity of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-1028, USA.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: W R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Hammond
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Yung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control