The long-term effects of childhood maltreatment experiences on subsequent illicit drug use and drug-related problems in young adulthood.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine the associations between (a) childhood maltreatment (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect) and subsequent illicit drug use and (b) childhood maltreatment and drug-related problems in young adulthood.


METHODS
Wave 1 and Wave 3 public-use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used. Logistic regressions, controlling for adolescent drug use and other important family and peer contextual processes, were estimated to determine the associations between (a) childhood maltreatment experiences and subsequent illicit drug use and (b) childhood maltreatment and drug-related problems in young adulthood.


RESULTS
Among the participants, 31.9% reported some form of childhood maltreatment. Childhood physical abuse was associated with a 37% (OR=1.37; 95% CI=1.04, 1.80) increase in illicit drug use during the 30 days prior to the Wave 3 survey, a 48% (OR=1.48; 95% CI=1.16, 1.89) increase in illicit drug use during the year prior to the Wave 3 survey, and a 96% (OR=1.96; 95% CI=1.40, 2.76) increase in drug-related problems in young adulthood. The latter two associations persisted even after controlling for illicit drug use in adolescence. Neglect among females was associated with a higher likelihood of past year illicit drug use in young adulthood (OR=1.31; 95% CI=1.002, 1.71). However, this association was not significant once the effect of illicit drug use in adolescence was statistically controlled for.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings suggest that childhood maltreatment is related to subsequent illicit drug use and drug-related problems in young adulthood and that some of these associations differ by gender. Implications for preventive intervention are discussed.
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1120 NW 14th street, 10th floor, Miami, FL 33136, United States. shuang@med.miami.edu
Shi
S
Huang
Edward
E
Trapido
Lora
L
Fleming
Kristopher
K
Arheart
Lee
L
Crandall
Michael
M
French
Shandey
S
Malcolm
Guillermo
G
Prado
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D013287:Illicit Drugs