Substance Use Among Asian Americans: Differentiation By Gender, Ethnic Subgroup and Acculturation Status

Background: Asian Americans comprise 5.6% of the U.S. population and their population continues to grow and is expected to surpass Hispanics as the largest immigrant group in the country. There is considerable variation in their geographical distribution, historical immigration patterns, education, religion, and sociolinguistic composition, among other traits. However, Asian American are frequently portrayed as a homogenous group unaffected by major substance abuse problems. This study examines the differences in past-year substance use among Asian Americans in relation to gender, ethnic subgroup differences, and acculturation status.

Methods:  Data were analyzed for a sample of 2,095 Asian Americans from the first wave of the National Latino and Asian American Study.  Logistic regression was used to examine how ethnic subgroup, gender, and acculturation factors (including U.S. native birth and English proficiency) contribute to understanding past-year substance use. Differences among Asian ethnic subgroups were also examined to better understand differences in predictors for past-year substance use.

Results:  Findings show that ethnic subgroup, U.S. native birth status, English proficiency, gender, age, and lifetime prevalence of major depressive episode are significant predictors of Asian American substance abuse. Filipinos are more likely to have reported past-year substance use as compared with Vietnamese, Chinese and other Asian American respondents.

Conclusions and Implications: Results indicate that acculturation status, ethnic subgroup, and gender are associated with the past-year substance use among Asian Americans.  The implications of findings regarding Asian American ethnic subgroup differences will be examined in terms of increasing accessibility and effectiveness of substance abuse treatment services.