"Other" Substance Use Among American Indian Reservation-Area High School Youth

High school youth have an elevated risk of substance use. Some substances (e.g., inhalants, MDMA/Ecstasy [3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine]) used by youth are overlooked or grouped in an "other" category. Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, American Indian (AI) youth may be at higher risk of using these substances. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and patterns of use of other substances among youth living on or near reservations.

This study uses data from Our Youth Our Future, a national probability sample survey of substance use among reservation-based youth (n = 14,769), to examine prevalence rates of use across sex (51% male), AI identity (61% AI), and their intersection within seven geographic regions of the United States.

Results indicate that AI youth largely did not endorse other substance use at significantly higher rates than non-AI youth. However, in two regions, they held higher odds of using any other substance than non-AI participants. In the Southeast and Northwest, AI youth were less likely to use prescription opioids and over-the-counter cold medicines than non-AI youth, respectively. Notable effects for sex emerged, such that males in the Southwest were more likely to use inhalants, hallucinogens, and tranquilizers than female participants. Participants in the Southern Plains reported the highest prevalence of other substance use.

Although the overall risk of using other substances is similar between AI and non-AI youth in many regions, differences in use patterns by AI identity and sex can help target prevention and intervention efforts.