title: The influence of acculturation on substance use behaviors among Latina sexual minority women: the mediating role of discrimination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A large body of work has demonstrated that sexual minority women have elevated rates of substance use morbidity, as compared with heterosexual women, and that this might be especially true for women of color.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the influence of acculturation and discrimination on substance use among Latina sexual minority women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 2007 to 2008 as part of a larger community-based survey in the greater Chicago area. Scales measured discrimination, acculturation, and substance use. Structural equation modeling validated scales and examined their relationships, which were further described via mediation analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Increased acculturation leads to substance use and this relationship is partially mediated by discrimination (Sobel test = 2.10; p < .05). CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed. Funding was provided by several women's and public health organizations.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Chien-Ching
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aranda
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conrad
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D015233:Models, Statistical; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology; D019529:Sexuality; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Latina; acculturation; discrimination; sexual minority women; substance use