Patterns of drug use among white institutionalized delinquents in Georgia: evidence from a latent class analysis. 1995

A L McCutcheon, and G Thomas
Department of Sociology, University of Delaware, Newark 19716, USA.

Previous research by Kandel [1] and others indicates that adolescent drug use follows a progression from legal drugs, through marijuana, to hard drugs. In this study of drug use patterns, institutionalized delinquents were found to follow a similar progression of drug use. Unlike previous studies which used "rule of thumb" methods of model assessment, this study uses probabilistic assessment of the models. Importantly, the present study supports a modified gate-way sequence, where cocaine use appears as an intermediate step between marijuana use and use of other hard drugs. It is suggested that widespread availability of cocaine in the late 1980's may have resulted in a new "step" in the drug use sequence.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007326 Institutionalization The caring for individuals in institutions and their adaptation to routines characteristic of the institutional environment, and/or their loss of adaptation to life outside the institution. Institutionalized Persons,Institutionalizations,Institutionalized Person,Person, Institutionalized,Persons, Institutionalized
D007604 Juvenile Delinquency The antisocial acts of children or persons under age which are illegal or lawfully interpreted as constituting delinquency. Delinquency, Juvenile
D008297 Male Males
D011619 Psychotropic Drugs A loosely defined grouping of drugs that have effects on psychological function. Here the psychotropic agents include the antidepressive agents, hallucinogens, and tranquilizing agents (including the antipsychotics and anti-anxiety agents). Psychoactive Agent,Psychoactive Agents,Psychoactive Drug,Psychopharmaceutical,Psychopharmaceuticals,Psychotropic Drug,Psychoactive Drugs,Agent, Psychoactive,Agents, Psychoactive,Drug, Psychoactive,Drug, Psychotropic,Drugs, Psychoactive,Drugs, Psychotropic
D003430 Cross-Sectional Studies Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time. Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D005845 Georgia A state located in the southeastern United States, The capital is Atlanta.
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D013287 Illicit Drugs Drugs that are manufactured, obtained, or sold illegally. They include prescription drugs obtained or sold without prescription and non-prescription drugs. Illicit drugs are widely distributed, tend to be grossly impure and may cause unexpected toxicity. Club Drug,Drugs, Illegal,Illegal Drug,Illegal Drugs,Illicit Drug,Recreational Drug,Recreational Drugs,Street Drug,Street Drugs,Club Drugs,Drug, Club,Drug, Illegal,Drug, Illicit,Drug, Recreational,Drug, Street,Drugs, Club,Drugs, Illicit,Drugs, Recreational,Drugs, Street

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