title: The Perceived Role of Family in Heroin Use Behaviors of Mexican-American Men.
abstract: The influence of the family is not well understood as it relates to drug use behaviors of Hispanic male adults. We examined the family's influence on drug use behavior, as perceived by Hispanic men who use heroin. One-time qualitative interviews were conducted with 21 current and former heroin users who participated in a larger study on long-term heroin use in Mexican-American men. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Three main themes emerged: family as a supportive environment for heroin use; heroin as a family legacy; and, the family's strategies for helping to stop using heroin. A sub-theme emerged on the paradox of family involvement, which spanned the three main themes. This research lays a foundation for future work to disentangle the risks and benefits of family involvement to inform culturally-centered therapies and cultural adaptations to traditional therapeutic approaches with Mexican-American men who abuse drugs.
authors.affiliation: Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Applewhite
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and Human Sciences, Oregon State University, 401 Waldo Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331-6406, USA. Carolyn.Mendez-Luck@oregonstate.edu.
authors.forename: Carolyn A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mendez-Luck
authors.affiliation: Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.|Department of Social Work, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.affiliation: Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Luis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Ashleigh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scinta
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Yolanda R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Villarreal
authors.affiliation: SEARCH Homeless Services, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.affiliation: Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Bordnick
mesh_terms: D000069:Acculturation; D000368:Aged; D005195:Family Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000208:ethnology*
chemical_list: D003932:Heroin
keywords: Culture; Families; Heroin addiction; Mexican–Americans; Qualitative research