Predictors of alcohol use transitions among drug-using youth presenting to an urban emergency department

Jason E Goldstick, Maureen A Walton, Amy S B Bohnert, Justin E Heinze and Rebecca M Cunningham

PLOS ONE, 2019, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Precipitants of alcohol use transitions can differ from generalized risk factors. We extend prior research by predicting transitions in alcohol use disorder (AUD) during adolescence and emerging adulthood. Methods: From 12/2009-9/2011, research assistants recruited 599 drug-using youth age 14–24 from Level-1 Emergency Department in Flint, Michigan. Youth were assessed at baseline and four biannual follow-ups, including a MINI Neuropsychiatric interview to diagnose AUD (abuse/dependence). We modeled AUD transitions using continuous time Markov Chains with transition probabilities modulated by validated measures of demographics, anxiety/depression symptoms, cannabis use, peer drinking, parental drinking, and violence exposure. Separate models were fit for underage ( 2x the AUD onset rate of females, but there were no sex differences in AUD remission rates. Limitations, most notably that this study occurred at a single site, are discussed. Conclusions: Social influences broadly predicted AUD transitions in both age groups. Transitions among younger youth were predicted by cannabis use, while those among older youth were predicted more by internalizing symptoms and stress exposure (e.g., community violence). Our results suggest age-specific AUD etiology, and contrasts between prevention and treatment strategies.

Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0227140 (text/html)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id= ... 27140&type=printable (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0227140

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227140

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in PLOS ONE from Public Library of Science
Bibliographic data for series maintained by plosone ().