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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: North American Indigenous (NAI) communities have identified alcohol use as a primary health concern. Experiences of racial discrimination are associated with increased alcohol use, but findings are mixed regarding the role of culture. The goal of the present study is to examine the role of culture in the association between racial discrimination and alcohol use.
METHODS: Across two studies (Study 1: N = 52; Study 2: N = 1,743), NAI adolescents who reported recent alcohol use living on or near NAI reservations completed self-report measures of racial discrimination, cultural affiliation, and alcohol use (e.g., frequency).
RESULTS: Bivariate correlations revealed a significant positive correlation between racial discrimination and alcohol use (Study 1: r =.31, p =.029; Study 2: r =.14, p <.001), and no significant correlation between cultural affiliation and alcohol use. Racial discrimination and cultural affiliation were significantly positively correlated in Study 1 (r =.18, p <.001), but not in Study 2. Across both studies, the interactions between racial discrimination and cultural affiliation predicting alcohol use were significant in unadjusted models (Study 1: b = 0.70, SE = 0.32, p =.033, 95%CI [0.06, 1.33]; Study 2: b = 0.01, SE = 0.01, p =.041, 95%CI [0.001, 0.03]), such that the association between racial discrimination and alcohol use was stronger for adolescents reporting high (versus low) levels of cultural affiliation. However, in adjusted models controlling for age and sex, the interaction between racial discrimination and cultural affiliation remained significant in Study 2 (b = 0.01, SE = 0.01, p =.0496, 95%CI [0.00002, 0.03]) but was no longer significant in Study 1.
CONCLUSIONS: Findings speak to the need to reduce racial discrimination against NAI youth, and to consider youths' different needs based on level of cultural affiliation to reduce subsequent alcohol consumption.
Language: en |