Discrimination, drugs, and alcohol among Latina/os in Brooklyn, New York: Differences by gender

Abstract Background Based on a stress-coping framework, the present study investigates the relationship between discrimination and substance use, and the moderating effects of gender. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzes data from Latina/o young adults aged 18–25 ( N =401) from Brooklyn, New York. Multinomial logistic regression was used to test the association between discrimination and substance use. Results Discrimination was significantly associated with increased odds of substance use adjusting for covariates (e.g. age, education). Gender was a moderator. Discrimination was associated with increased risk of alcohol/cannabis and hard drug use among young Latina women. However, discrimination was associated with decreased risk of alcohol/cannabis use and increased risk of hard drug use among young Latino men. Conclusion These findings suggest that discrimination is generally associated with risk for substance use, but further that the outcomes vary by gender. Future research should explore gender-specific dimensions of discrimination and their associations with other outcomes.