The Family Journal
Volume 20, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 256-266

Preimmigration Family Cohesion and Drug/Alcohol Abuse Among Recent Latino Immigrants (Review)

Dillon F.R. , Rosa M.D.L. , Sanchez M. , Schwartz S.J.
  • a Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
  • b Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
  • c Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
  • d Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, United States

Abstract

Given the growing population of Latino immigrants in the United States, it is critical for counselors to understand pre- and postimmigration social contextual factors affecting the mental health of this heterogeneous ethnic population. The objective of our cross-sectional, retrospective study was to investigate the potential protective influence of preimmigration family cohesion on drug/alcohol abuse just prior to migration among 527 Latino young adults (age 18–34 years). Multivariate Poisson regression indicated that preimmigration family cohesion was inversely related with harmful/hazardous alcohol consumption, the frequency/quantity of alcohol use, and illicit drug use when controlling for the potentially confounding sociodemographic factors of gender, age, education, income, marital status, and immigration status (documented or undocumented). Associations between family cohesion and drug/alcohol use behaviors varied between Central American immigrants and Caribbean/South American regional groups. Preimmigration findings offer a fuller contextual understanding of the lives of Latino young adult immigrants and support the importance of family cohesion as a buffer against drug/alcohol abuse. © 2012, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Illicit drug use young adults Latino immigrants Alcohol use family cohesion

Index Keywords

[No Keywords available]
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84863821152&doi=10.1177%2f1066480712448860&partnerID=40&md5=e7e0dbf9ab88f12745f507d5f420fccb
DOI: 10.1177/1066480712448860
ISSN: 10664807
Cited by: 14
Original Language: English