Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health
Volume 35, Issue 5, 2011, Pages 434-441

Immigrant status and acculturation influence substance use among New Zealand youth (Article)

Di Cosmo C. , Milfont T.L.* , Robinson E. , Denny S.J. , Ward C. , Crengle S. , Ameratunga S.N.
  • a School of Specialization in Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy
  • b School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
  • c Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • d Department of Community Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • e School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
  • f Te Kupenga Hauora Maori, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand
  • g Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the associations between generational status, acculturation and substance use among immigrant and non-immigrant secondary school students in New Zealand. Methods: A nationally representative sample of secondary school students in New Zealand was selected using a twostage cluster sample design. Of the 8,999 students in the sample, 23.81% were frst-generation immigrants and 20.90% were second-generation immigrants; the remaining 55.29% students are collectively referred to as 'non-immigrant' peers. Logistic regression models adjusted the associations of interest for age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and experience of ethnic discrimination. Results: First and second-generation immigrants showed significantly lower risks of smoking cigarettes compared with their non-immigrant peers. Similar trends were apparent for consuming alcohol and marijuana weekly. The inclusion of some characteristics suggestive of acculturation in multivariable models did not influence the relationship between generational status and smoking cigarettes, but attenuated the apparent protective effect of being a first-generation immigrant with regard to alcohol and marijuana use. Conclusions and implications: The study shows the lower likelihood of substance use among newer immigrants in a nationally representative sample of New Zealand youth. Policies and health programs that build on this positive profile and reduce the risk of adverse changes over time require attention.

Author Keywords

Immigrant paradox Substance use New Zealand Acculturation

Index Keywords

Alcohol Drinking drinking behavior psychological aspect human statistics Substance-Related Disorders Logistic Models child behavior family size ethnology Family Characteristics student Humans Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation Socioeconomic Factors female risk factor Risk Factors socioeconomics cultural factor Article Adolescent Behavior migration New Zealand addiction Students statistical model
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-83155192371&doi=10.1111%2fj.1753-6405.2011.00758.x&partnerID=40&md5=186f2b077330335f75eec40c61917189
DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00758.x
ISSN: 13260200
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English