Ethnic and Cultural Factors in Substance Abuse

Health care providers must recognize the importance of multicultural training in any effective diagnostic, treatment, or prevention service for substance abuse among adolescents. Current estimates indicate that by the year 2020, minorities will constitute 40% of all school-age Americans. The authors examine the cultural differences among the four major ethnic groups-African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and Native/Alaskan Americans-and then discuss the design of programs targeted at each.