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Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents aged 12 to 17
made up more than 4 percent of the United States adolescent population
in 1999. According to the 1999 Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), this
group represented only 2 percent of all adolescent admissions to
publicly funded substance abuse treatment facilities. The 2,587 Asian
and Pacific Islander adolescent admissions in the 1999 TEDS were 66
percent male and 34 percent female compared with 71 and 29 percent,
respectively, among the total youth treatment population.
TEDS is a compilation of data on the demographic
characteristics and substance abuse problems of those admitted for
substance abuse treatment. The information comes primarily from
facilities that receive some public funding. TEDS records represent
admissions rather than individuals, as a person may be admitted to
treatment more than once.
Primary Substance of Abuse
Marijuana was the leading primary substance of abuse for Asian and Pacific
Islander adolescents entering treatment in 1999, followed by alcohol and
stimulants (Figure 1). Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents were
admitted in almost the same proportions for marijuana (59 vs. 60
percent) and alcohol (25 vs. 26 percent), but in much higher proportions
for stimulants (9 vs. 3 percent) compared with the total youth treatment
population (data not shown).
Trends in Admissions
The number of Asian and Pacific Islander adolescent admissions increased
from 1,698 in 1994 to 2,587 in 1999 (52 percent). In comparison, the
number of admissions among the total youth treatment population
increased from 108,471 in 1994 to 129,787 in 1999 (20 percent).
Among Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents, admissions for primary
marijuana abuse rose from 45 percent in 1994 to 59 percent in 1999, and
admissions for primary alcohol abuse fell from 38 percent in 1994 to 25
percent in 1999 (Figure 1).
The percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander male adolescents admitted to
treatment for primary marijuana abuse increased from 48 percent in 1994
to 63 percent in 1999, while the percentage of their female counterparts
increased from 39 percent in 1994 to 53 percent in 1999 (Figure 2).
Among Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents, the proportion of males
admitted to treatment for primary alcohol abuse declined from 36 percent
in 1994 to 24 percent in 1999, whereas female admissions for primary
alcohol abuse fell from 42 percent in 1994 to 27 percent in 1999.
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Figure 1. Primary Substance of Abuse Among Asian and Pacific
Islander Adolescent Admissions: 1994 and 1999 |
Figure 2. Percentage of Male and Female Asian and Pacific Islander
Adolescent Admissions, by Primary Substance of Abuse: 1994 and 1999 |
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Source: 1999 SAMHSA Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS).
Daily Use
In 1999, most Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents admitted to treatment
who reported daily use in the month prior to admission named either
marijuana (76 percent of admissions), stimulants (11 percent), or
alcohol (9 percent) (Figure 3).
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Figure 3. Percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander and All
Adolescent Admissions, by Daily Use of Primary Substance: 1999 |
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Source: 1999 SAMHSA Treatment Episode
Data Set (TEDS).
The percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents admitted to
treatment who reported daily use was higher than that of the total youth
treatment population (26 vs. 21 percent) (data not shown). While there
was no difference in terms of daily use of marijuana or alcohol between
the two groups, a larger percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander
adolescents reported daily use of stimulants compared with the total
youth treatment population (11 vs. 4 percent).
Prior Treatment Episodes
About three quarters of Asian and Pacific Islander adolescent admissions
were first treatment episodes in 1999. Admissions among Asian and
Pacific Islander adolescents were more likely to be new admissions than
admissions among the total youth treatment population (75 vs. 68
percent) (data not shown).
Referral Source
In 1999, 40 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander adolescent treatment
admissions were referred through the criminal justice system (Figure 4),
which represented an increase from the 32 percent referred through the
criminal justice system in 1994 (data not shown). However, the
percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander adolescent admissions referred
through the criminal justice system was lower than that of total youth
treatment admissions (40 vs. 51 percent).
Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents were more likely to have entered
treatment through self- or individual referral (27 vs. 17 percent of
admissions) or school referral (21 vs. 11 percent) compared with the
total youth treatment population.
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Figure 4. Percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander and All
Adolescent Admissions, by Referral Source: 1999 |
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Source: 1999 SAMHSA Treatment Episode
Data Set (TEDS).
The
Drug and Alcohol Services Information System (DASIS)
is an integrated data system maintained by the
Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). One
component of DASIS is the Treatment Episode Data Set
(TEDS). TEDS is a compilation of data on the
demographic characteristics and substance abuse
problems of those admitted for substance abuse
treatment. The information comes primarily from
facilities that receive some public funding.
Information on treatment admissions is routinely
collected by State administrative systems and then
submitted to SAMHSA in a standard format.
Approximately 1.6 million records are included in
TEDS each year. TEDS records represent admissions
rather than individuals, as a person may be admitted
to treatment more than once.
The DASIS Report is prepared by the Office of
Applied Studies, SAMHSA; Synectics for Management
Decisions, Inc., Arlington, Virginia; and RTI, Research
Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Information and data for this issue are based on data
reported to TEDS through April 16, 2001.
Access the latest TEDS
reports at:
www.oas.samhsa.gov/dasis.htm
Access the latest TEDS public
use files at:
http://webapp.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/SAMHDA-SERIES/00056.xml
Other substance abuse reports are available at:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov
The DASIS Report is published periodically by the
Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this
report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without
permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report may be
downloaded from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/facts.cfm. Citation of
the source is appreciated.
Other reports from the Office of
Applied Studies are also available on-line at the OAS home page:
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov.
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