Ethnicity and Inhalant Use Among High Risk Adolescents in Israel

Abstract

Inhalant use among 540 high-risk Israeli adolescents was studied from 2004 to 2010. The majority of study participants were of Israeli and Former Soviet Union descent. Study information was collected prior to receiving residential drug treatment. Over the 7-year study, men and women reported similar patterns of age of first, lifetime, and past 30-day inhalant use. Former Soviet Union adolescents began inhalant use at a younger age. The rate of Israeli girls' lifetime use was higher than that reported by Israeli boys and Former Soviet Union girls. Israeli adolescents reported a higher rate of past 30-day use than those from the Former Soviet Union. Study participants reported a higher rate of lifetime use than those attending school in Israel, the United States, and England. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, ethnic status (i.e., country of origin), alcohol use, and pattern of daily activity (i.e., hanging around) were significantly linked to past 30-day inhalant use. Further research for public health and safety reasons is needed about inhalant use that is an international concern.

KEYWORDS:

• ethnicity
• gender
• high risk adolescents
• inhalants

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Moshe Kron (Director) and staff of Youth Magal, Jerusalem, for their cooperation with this research.

Notes

Note. Males and Females are compared horizontally; country of origin status is compared vertically.

¹Results are reported for adolescents with Israeli and Former Soviet Union descent status only (N = 442).

^a p < .01, ^b p < .05; ^c p < .01 (χ² test); ^d p < .01; ^e p < .001 (t test).

*p < .05; **p < .01; ***p < .001.