Understanding Substance Use in Alaska Native Youth- A Social Network Perspective.

Area of Science:

• Social Network Analysis
• Public Health
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Alaska Native (AN) youth face health inequities, including higher rates of substance use.
• AN youth initiate substance use earlier and use more heavily than other youth.
• Limited research explores social network structures as protective factors against substance use in AN youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine associations between peer ties, school staff connections, cultural connectedness, victimization, and substance use in AN youth.
• To utilize social network analysis to understand protective factors in AN youth's social environments.
• To inform the development of targeted prevention strategies for AN youth substance use.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 109 7th-12th grade students at an urban Alaskan school.
• Social network data collected using the Network Canvas tablet-based platform.
• Multivariate logistic regression analyzed associations between network characteristics and substance use (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana).

Main Results:

• Victimization was consistently associated with increased odds of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use.
• Frequent contact with school staff showed a protective effect against alcohol and marijuana use.
• Greater emotional closeness within networks was linked to increased alcohol and marijuana use, while cultural connectedness was associated with increased tobacco use.

Conclusions:

• Substance use in urban AN youth is influenced by complex social factors including victimization and social connections.
• Frequent interaction with school staff can be a protective factor against alcohol and marijuana use.
• Network data can identify key risk and protective factors for developing effective prevention strategies for AN youth.