Young Hispanic Immigrants And Alcoholism

A new study shows immigration at a young age for Hispanics may increase the risk for alcohol and drug problems down the road.

The study will be published in July in the online issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research. It jumps off previous research that shows immigrants tend to have lower rates of alcohol and drug problems than people born in the U.S. Jennifer Reingle says that may be because of cultural and Hispanic family values that can help discourage risky behavior.

Reingle is assistant professor at The University of Texas Health School of Public Health. She said researchers wanted to see how age of immigration played into the risks for alcohol use and abuse in adulthood. So researchers talked to Mexican- American adults who live near the U.S. Mexico border and Mexican-Americans who live in large cities not close to the border, including L.A. and Miami.

“We found those who came before the age of twelve were much more likely to use drugs, they acted much more like U.S.-born adolescents when they were adults than people who are immigrants,” says Reingle.

Immigrants who came after early adolescence showed a lower risk of alcohol and drug problems later in life. Reingle says the loss of cultural values may play a big role.

“So what we’re thinking is that the earlier you come, the more you start to act like someone who is U.S.-born because your personal identity isn’t solidified at all,” she says.

There are more studies in the works about immigrants and their health, including a study on immigrants and smoking habits.
Copyright 2015 KNPR-FM. To see more, visit http://www.knpr.org/.