Abstract
Though recent evidence indicates that rates of illicit drug use among African American women are now higher than the national average, little is known about the etiology of substance use in this population. In addition, the effects of racism and other cultural factors are understudied and may be unique amongst African American women. This cross-sectional study explores risk and protective factors for drug use among 204 African American women. More specifically, associations between racism experiences and drug use are investigated in the context of potential moderating influences (i.e., psychosocial resources, social safety net variables, and cultural identity and practices). Findings suggest that racism is associated with drug use, but that its effects diminish with age. In addition, results suggest that psychosocial resources, social safety net factors and culturally specific factors like ethnic community membership and engagement in cultural practices afford African American women some protection against the detrimental effects of racism.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2012
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177/0095798412438395
Funding Information
This research was funded by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01-DA022967, PI Oser).
Repository Citation
Stevens-Watkins, Danelle; Perry, Brea; Harp, Kathi L.; and Oser, Carrie B., "Racism and Illicit Drug Use among African American Women: The Protective Effects of Ethnic Identity, Affirmation, and Behavior" (2012). Sociology Faculty Publications. 14.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/sociology_facpub/14
Included in
Counseling Psychology Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons
Notes/Citation Information
Published in The Journal of Black Psychology, v. 38, issue 4, p. 471-496.
The copyright holder has granted the permission for posting the article here.
The document available for download is the authors' post-peer-review final draft of the article.