A latent class analysis of alcohol abuse and dependence symptoms among Puerto Rican youth.
The study aim was to classify youths into homogenous groups based on their symptoms of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence. An NIDA-funded cross-sectional survey was administered to 622 middle and high school students in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2000. Latent class analysis (LCA) examined the Alcohol Abuse and Dependence symptoms. Three distinct classes of drinkers were found: low (86.0% of sample), moderate (11.7% of sample), and high (2.3% of sample) severity classes which were distinguished by differing estimated probabilities of symptom reporting. The study has implications for the diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence among Puerto Rican youths. Limitations are also noted.
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, USA. bmancha@jhsph.edu
Brent Edward
BE
Mancha
Alicia
A
Hulbert
William W
WW
Latimer
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000208:ethnology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000208:ethnology*; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054577:National Institute on Drug Abuse (U.S.); D011647:Puerto Rico; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult