Association between violent behaviors and substance use among Mexican- American and non-Hispanic white high school students

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of violent behaviors among Mexican- American and non-Hispanic white high school students and to explore the associations between violent behaviors and alcohol and illicit drug use. Methods: The Youth Risk Behavior Survey was administered to 1786 high school students in a biethnic community in Southeast Texas; 65% were Mexican- American, 26% were non-Hispanic white, and 9% were of another ethnicity. Results: There were no significant ethnic differences in prevalence of drinking alcohol, illicit drug use, fighting, carrying a weapon, or planning or attempting suicide. After adjustment for age, carrying a weapon and fighting were significantly associated with alcohol and illicit drug use, with few exceptions, among the four gender- and ethnic-specific subgroups. However, the relationship between suicide (plans and attempts) and substance use among the four subgroups was less consistent and of much lower magnitude than for carrying a weapon and fighting. Conclusions: A substantial percentage of adolescents engage in violent behaviors, and fighting and weapon carrying are associated with substance use among both gender and ethnic groups. A systematic and integrated approach to changing the environment and norms of communities is needed to affect change and reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with violent behaviors.