title: Acculturation and Drug Use Stigma Among Latinos and African Americans: An Examination of a Church-Based Sample.
abstract: Substance use patterns among Latinos likely reflect changes in attitudes resulting from acculturation, but little is known about Latinos' attitudes regarding drug addiction. We surveyed a church-based sample of Latinos and African Americans (N = 1,235) about attitudes toward drug addiction and socio-demographics. Linear regression models compared Latino subgroups with African-Americans. In adjusted models, Latinos had significantly higher drug addiction stigma scores compared to African Americans across all subgroups (US-born Latinos, β = 0.22, p < .05; foreign-born Latinos with high English proficiency, β = 0.30, p < .05; and foreign-born Latinos with low English proficiency, β = 0.49, p < .001). Additionally, Latinos with low English proficiency had significantly higher mean levels of drug use stigma compared Latinos with high proficiency (both foreign-born and US-born). In this church-affiliated sample, Latinos' drug addiction stigma decreases with acculturation, but remains higher among the most acculturated Latinos compared to African-Americans. These attitudes may pose a barrier to treatment for Latino drug users.
authors.affiliation: Health Program, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA. kflorez@rand.org.
authors.forename: Karen R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Flórez
authors.affiliation: Health Program, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn Pitkin
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Derose
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breslau
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Arlington, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Beth Ann
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.affiliation: RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Haas
authors.affiliation: Health Program, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA.
authors.forename: David E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Kanouse
authors.affiliation: Health Program, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA.
authors.forename: Brian D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Stucky
authors.affiliation: Health Program, RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA, 90407-2138, USA.
authors.forename: Malcolm V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012067:Religion; D012737:Sex Factors; D057545:Social Stigma; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Acculturation; African Americans; Church-based sample; Drug addiction stigma; Latinos