Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 1, 2016, Pages 150-160

Health Risk Behaviors by Length of Time in the United States Among High School Students in Five Sites (Article)

Jones S.E.* , Pezzi C. , Rodriguez-Lainz A. , Whittle L.
  • a Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, NE, MS-E75, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States
  • b Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • c Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
  • d Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd, NE, MS-E75, Atlanta, GA 30329, United States

Abstract

One in five public school students is from an immigrant-headed household. We used Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from one state and four large urban school districts to examine whether length of time living in the US was associated with health risk behaviors. Logistic regression models, using weighted data, controlled for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade. Compared to US natives, not having always lived in the US was correlated with lower risk for some behaviors (e.g., current marijuana use and alcohol use) among high school students, but higher risk for other behaviors (e.g., attempted suicide, physical inactivity). Many findings were inconsistent across the study sites. Interventions that specifically target recently-arrived school-aged youth to prevent behaviors that put health and safety at risk, may result in the best outcomes for immigrant youth. Care should be taken to understand the specific health risks present in different immigrant communities. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York (Outside USA).

Author Keywords

youth Immigrant High school students Health risk behaviors Acculturation

Index Keywords

Alcohol Drinking sexual behavior drinking behavior human Health Behavior suicide attempt violence statistics and numerical data time factor cannabis addiction Time Factors Suicide, Attempted ethnology bullying United States Humans migrant smoking Adolescent male Emigrants and Immigrants Acculturation female cultural factor high risk behavior Risk-Taking Adolescent Behavior Marijuana Abuse body mass Body Mass Index
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84954386594&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0151-3&partnerID=40&md5=93e31fa95b80fe29948e8eb49566c1da
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0151-3
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 4
Original Language: English