title: Inhalant abuse and dependence among adolescents in the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the patterns of inhalant use and correlates of the progression from inhalant use to abuse and dependence among adolescents aged 12 to 17.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study data were drawn from the 2000 and 2001 National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse. Multinominal logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics associated with progression to inhalant abuse and dependence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Inhalant use was common among the studied adolescents. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, 0.4% met DSM-IV inhalant abuse or dependence criteria in the past year. Inhalant abuse and dependence affected adolescents regardless of gender, age, race/ethnicity, and family income. The progression from inhalant use to abuse or dependence was related to early first use, use of multiple inhalants, and weekly inhalant use. Adolescents with inhalant use disorders reported coexisting multiple drug abuse and dependence, mental health treatment, and delinquent behaviors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adolescents with an inhalant use disorder may represent a subgroup of highly troubled youths with multiple vulnerabilities. Because early use is associated with progression to abuse and dependence, prevention programs should target elementary school-age children.
authors.affiliation: RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. liwu@rti.org
authors.forename: Li-Tzy
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pilowsky
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Schlenger
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology