TITLE:
Youth gender differences in alcohol use: A prospective study of multiple youth assets and the neighborhood environment
AUTHORS:
Roy F. Oman, Eleni L. Tolma, Sara K. Vesely, Cheryl B. Aspy
KEYWORDS:
Youth Tobacco Use; Youth Assets; Gender Analyses; Neighborhood Environment
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Preventive Medicine,
Vol.3 No.2,
April
30,
2013
ABSTRACT: Research has identified factors (assets) that
protect youth from engaging in risk behaviors including alcohol use. Very
little research has examined asset/nonuse of alcohol associations by youth
gender or determined if asset/nonuse of alcohol associations are influenced by
the neighborhood environment. The purpose of the study was to determine if
multiple youth assets and neighborhood factors are differentially associated
with youth nonuse of alcohol by gender. Method: Five waves of data were
collected annually from households (N = 1111) randomly selected to
participate in the Youth Asset Study. Seventeen assets and 6 neighborhood factors
assessed at waves 1 - 4 were analyzed longitudinally using marginal logistic
regression to predict nonuse of alcohol at
waves 2 - 5. Results: Sample mean age was 14.3 years, 52% female; 39% white, 28% Hispanic, 23% African-American, and
9% other. Numerous assets were prospec- tively associated with alcohol nonuse
for females (12 assets) and males (16 assets). Three assets were
significantly more protective from alcohol use for males compared to females. Final modeling indicated that three assets were protective from alcohol use for
both genders and that one asset was protective only for males. There were no
significant associations between the neighborhood variables and nonuse of alcohol,
and the neighborhood variables did not influence the asset/nonuse of alcohol
associations. Conclusions: Youth assets appear to protect both genders from
future alcohol use but males may benefit even more from asset-building prevention
programming. Youth alcohol use and alcohol nonuse/asset associations may not be
influenced by the neighborhood environment.