Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 12, Issue 5, 2010, Pages 737-742

Fumando La Piedra: Emerging patterns of crack use among Latino immigrant day laborers in New Orleans (Article)

Valdez A.* , Cepeda A. , Negi N.J. , Kaplan C.
  • a Center for Drug and Social Policy Research, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-4013, United States
  • b Center for Drug and Social Policy Research, Department of Sociology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
  • c School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, United States
  • d Center for Drug and Social Policy Research, Graduate College of Social Work, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-4013, United States

Abstract

The devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina have contributed to a dynamic demographic shift in the Latino composition of New Orleans. This article focuses on a particularly deleterious pattern of crack cocaine smoking associated with numerous social and health consequences. Utilizing a rapid assessment methodology, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 52 Latino immigrant day laborers in New Orleans. Findings reveal that the presence of a flourishing drug market has facilitated and maintained patterns of crack use including initiation and periods of daily use. Moreover, feelings of isolation and constant exposure to victimization due to day laborers' marginal status are described as contributing to this use. This qualitative analysis reveals how social processes and contextual factors contribute to crack use among Latino day laborers in a post-disaster context. This study has important public health implications in the spread of HIV and other blood borne pathogens. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009.

Author Keywords

Latino immigrants disasters Drug use Day laborers

Index Keywords

human social isolation disaster ethnology Hispanic Americans cocaine cocaine dependence United States Cocaine-Related Disorders Humans benzocaine Crack Cocaine Hispanic Louisiana male Emigrants and Immigrants Disasters Article adult migration employment
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79952047098&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-009-9300-5&partnerID=40&md5=82f011ed86795cb765c5165fc63f7d09
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-009-9300-5
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 20
Original Language: English