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Substance Use

Adolescent Substance Use Following a Deadly U.S. Tornado Outbreak: A Population-Based Study of 2,000 Families

ORCID Icon, , , , , & show all
Pages 732-745
Published online: 25 Nov 2015

Despite conceptual links between disaster exposure and substance use, few studies have examined prevalence and risk factors for adolescent substance use and abuse in large, population-based samples affected by a recent natural disaster. We addressed this gap using a novel address-based sampling methodology to interview adolescents and parents who were affected by the 4th deadliest tornado outbreak in U.S. history. Postdisaster interviews were conducted with 2,000 adolescent–parent dyads living within a 5-mile radius of the spring 2011 U.S. tornadoes. In addition to descriptive analyses to estimate prevalence, hierarchical linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine a range of protective and risk factors for substance use and abuse. Approximately 3% reported substance abuse since the tornado. Greater number of prior traumatic events and older age emerged as consistent risk factors across tobacco and alcohol use and substance abuse since the tornado. Tornado incident characteristics, namely, greater loss of services and resources after the tornado and posttraumatic stress disorder since the tornado, were associated with greater alcohol consumption. Service loss increased risk for binge drinking, whereas, for substance abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder increased risk and parent presence during the tornado decreased risk. Greater family tornado exposure was associated with a greater number of cigarettes smoked in female but not male teen participants. Both trauma and non-trauma-related factors are relevant to postdisaster substance abuse among adolescents. Future research should examine the role of broader ecological systems in heightening or curtailing substance use risk for adolescents following disaster exposure.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Kathryn Soltis for her helpful assistance in preparing this article.

FUNDING

This work was supported by 1R21MH086313 (PI: Danielson) and 1R01MH081056 (PI: Ruggiero) from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The preparation of this article was supported by R01DA031285 (PI: Danielson), and K23DA031794 (PI: Brady) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), P50AA010761 (PI: Becker) from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and T32MH018869 (PIs: Kilpatrick and Danielson) from the NIMH. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIMH, NIDA, or NIAAA.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by 1R21MH086313 (PI: Danielson) and 1R01MH081056 (PI: Ruggiero) from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The preparation of this article was supported by R01DA031285 (PI: Danielson), and K23DA031794 (PI: Brady) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), P50AA010761 (PI: Becker) from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and T32MH018869 (PIs: Kilpatrick and Danielson) from the NIMH. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIMH, NIDA, or NIAAA.

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