A Retrospective Assessment of Inhalant Abuse in the Barrio: Implications for Prevention

Abstract

An interview questionnaire was administered to a group of primarily Hispanic identified inhalant users (N = 40) and a comparison group of neighborhood youths (N = 17) in the barrio of Phoenix, Arizona. This retrospective assessment revealed that inhalant abusers (1) had a history of multiple problems, stressors, and difficulty with school and the criminal justice system; (2) initiated drug use between the ages of 10 and 15; (3) confined their drug use primarily to marijuana, alcohol, and inhalants; and (4) often came from families with drug problems. Inhalant abusers from drug-involved families experienced more poverty and family disruption, perceived their friends as being more favorable to the use of drugs and inhalants, and were less involved in conventional youth activities (e.g., sports, school, church, hobbies) than were inhalant abusers from drug-free families. The results are discussed in terms of developing preventative programs for this population.