Using polytomous latent class analysis to compare patterns of substance use and co‐occurring health‐risk behaviors between students in alternative and mainstream high schools

Aug 10, 2019Journal of adolescence

Comparing substance use and related risky behaviors in alternative and regular high school students

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

A substantially greater proportion of students in alternative high schools fell into moderate and high substance use categories compared to their mainstream counterparts.

Students in alternative high schools and mainstream high schools exhibited similar overall patterns of substance use.
Higher risk categories of substance use were linked to increased engagement in other health-risk behaviors.
Disparities in substance use patterns highlight the need for targeted support in alternative high schools.
Public health surveillance in alternative high schools is necessary to monitor substance use trends and the effects of policies.

AI simplified

INTRODUCTION: Alternative high school (AHS) students, an understudied and underserved population, experience educational, social, and health disparities relative to students in mainstream high schools. Disparities in single types of substance use are particularly high, yet no known studies have compared patterns of substance use or relationships between these patterns and other health-risk behaviors between AHS and mainstream high schools.

METHODS: Using data from the Texas Alternative School Health Survey (n = 515; mean age 17.1 years, 49% male, 59% Hispanic, 23% White, 15% Black) and the Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 2,113; mean age 16 years, 47% male, 64% Hispanic, 22% White, 7% Black), we used latent class analyses to compare patterns of substance use in AHSs and mainstream high schools. We used latent class regression to examine relationships between patterns of substance use and involvement in other health-risk behaviors in each school setting.

RESULTS: Students in AHSs and mainstream high schools had similar patterns of substance use, and youth in higher risk categories engaged in higher levels of other health-risk behaviors. A substantially greater proportion of AHS students, however, fell into the moderate and high use categories, in support of continuing disparities for AHS students.

CONCLUSIONS: Additional support is needed in AHSs to address the prevalence of high-risk patterns of substance use and associated health-risk behaviors. For example, ongoing public health surveillance is needed in AHSs, just as is done in mainstream high schools, to monitor trends in substance use and impact of policies and interventions.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (XML) ↗View full text ↗View full text (PDF) ↗

Using polytomous latent class analysis to compare patterns of substance use and co‐occurring health‐risk behaviors between students in alternative and mainstream high schools

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief

Abstract

Full Text

Related papers

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief