Variations in associations of health risk behaviors among ethnic minority early adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate patterns of vulnerability and protection factors associated with risk behaviors and the co-occurrence of risk behaviors in minority ethnicity early adolescents.


METHODS
Analysis of data from the Research with East London Adolescents Community Health Survey (RELACHS), a school-based study of a representative sample of 2789 adolescents age 11-14 in 2001 (sample 73% non-Caucasian, 21% born outside the United Kingdom). Questionnaire data were obtained on sociodemographic variables, ethnicity, smoking, drinking, drug use, psychological well-being, physical health, and social support from family and peers. Models of associations for each behavior and co-occurrence of risk behaviors (defined as engaging in > or = 2 behaviors) were developed by hierarchical stepwise logistic regression.


RESULTS
Two hundred ninety-two (10.9%) reported 1 risk behavior, 84 (3.1%) reported 2, and 25 (0.9%) reported 3 behaviors. In multivariate models, psychological morbidity was associated with higher risk of all behaviors and co-occurrence, while higher family support was associated with lower risk in all models. Non-Caucasian ethnicity was associated with lower risk of regular smoking and co-occurrence but not drinking or drugs. Birth outside the United Kingdom was associated with lower risk for individual behaviors but not co-occurrence. Religion and religious observance were associated with lower risk of smoking and drinking but not drug use or co-occurrence. Peer connectedness was associated with drug use, but with increased risk. Socioeconomic status was associated only with smoking.


CONCLUSIONS
Patterns of associations of personal, family, and environmental factors appear to differ between smoking, drinking, lifetime drug use, and the co-occurrence of these behaviors. Hypotheses regarding common factors related to health risk behaviors may be misleading in ethnic minorities and immigrants. Co-occurrence may represent a distinct behavioral domain of risk that is partly culturally determined.
Viner
Russell M
RM
Department of Paediatrics, Royal Free and University College London Medical School, University College, London, United Kingdom. R.Viner@ich.ucl.ac.uk
Haines
Mary M
MM
Head
Jenny A
JA
Bhui
Kam
K
Taylor
Stephanie
S
Stansfeld
Stephen A
SA
Hillier
Sheila
S
Booy
Robert
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005006:Ethnicity; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012907:Smoking; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000208:ethnology