HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.086330v1 97/10/1859    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Reddy, P. Articles by Kambaran, N. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Reddy, P. Articles by Kambaran, N. Related Collections School Health Surveys Alcohol Drugs Other Tobacco

Priscilla Reddy, PhD, Kenneth Resnicow, PhD, Riyadh Omardien, B Bus Sci (Hon) and Nilen Kambaran, AIA

Priscilla Reddy is with the Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa. Kenneth Resnicow is with the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Riyadh Omardien and Nilen Kambaran are with ARCH Actuarial Consulting, Cape Town.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Nilen Kambaran, ARCH Actuarial Consulting, PO Box 12573, Mill St, 8010, Cape Town, South Africa (e-mail: nilen{at}archac.com).

Objectives. We compared prevalence rates and correlates of substance use among high school students in South Africa and the United States.

Methods. We used weighted data from 2 nationally representative surveys of high school students. We conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses and examined between-country differences in rates and correlates of substance use were examined.

Results. Rates of past-month alcohol and marijuana use were lower among South African students than among US students, but rates of illicit hard drug use were higher. Correlates of use in the 2 countries differed. For example, female gender was protective against tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use in South Africa, whereas in the United States it was protective only against marijuana use. Black race/ethnicity was associated with lower rates of past-month cigarette and alcohol use in both countries, but the protective effect for alcohol use was stronger in South Africa.

Conclusions. Crosscultural studies can elucidate common and culturally unique pathways to drug use. Our results can inform future research, policies, and behavioral interventions in South Africa.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Dlamini, M. Taylor, N. Mkhize, R. Huver, R. Sathiparsad, H. de Vries, K. Naidoo, and C. Jinabhai Gender factors associated with sexual abstinent behaviour of rural South African high school going youth in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Health Educ. Res., August 18, 2008; (2008) cyn041v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]