title: Areca use among adolescents in Yap and Pohnpei, the Federated States of Micronesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Areca (Betel Nut) is the fourth most commonly used psychoactive drug throughout the world and is legal in U.S. It is carcinogenic. Within a health program in the Federated States of Micronesia we surveyed use among adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred 7th and 8th graders in Yap and Pohnpei were surveyed and clinical oral examinations conducted. The questionnaire included items on Areca: age first used Areca, whether peers or family members used Areca, frequency of use, whether tobacco was used, and source of Areca. Questions also assessed anxiety and depression. Two scales assessed getting along with other kids and adaptation to school.
  
  
  RESULTS
  61.5-71.4% of adolescents had ever used Areca and 54.7-68.6% used it at least once in the last month.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most adolescents surveyed in Yap and Pohnpei used Areca, which may place these youth at increased risk for cancer and health disparities.
authors.affiliation: Northwest Center to Reduce Oral Health Disparities, University of Washington, Box 357475, Seattle, WA, USA. dfrc@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Milgrom
authors.forename: Ohnmar K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Tut
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gilmatam
authors.forename: Marcelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallen
authors.forename: Donald L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Chi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001114:Areca; D002648:Child; D003625:Data Collection; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008849:Micronesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms; D044468:Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; D010379:Peer Group; D012574:Schools; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014070:Tooth / Q000473:pathology