Dataset Information

Age of Sexual Debut and Cannabis Use in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the interrelationships between risky health behaviors is critical for health promotion efforts. Conceptual frameworks for understanding substance misuse (e.g. stepping-stone models) have not yet widely incorporated other risky behaviors, including those related to sexual health.The goals of this study were to assess the relationship between early sexual debut and cannabis use, examine the role of licit substance use in this association, and evaluate differences by gender and race/ethnicity.Data came from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (NCS-R). Primary analysis was restricted to respondents who reported sexual debut at ?12 years (n = 5,036). Age at sexual debut was categorized as early (<18 years), average (18 years) and late (>18 years). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between age at sexual debut and cannabis use. Interaction terms were used to evaluate effect modification by gender and race/ethnicity.Later age of sexual debut was associated with lower odds of cannabis use relative to the average age of debut (AOR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.37-0.66). For every year that respondents delayed their sexual debut, the relative odds of lifetime cannabis use declined by 17%. After accounting for alcohol and tobacco use the association between early sexual debut and cannabis was attenuated (AOR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.68-1.20), while later age of debut remained protective (AOR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.42-0.78). Results were generally consistent across race/ethnicity and gender.Multifactorial intervention strategies targeting both sexual health and substance use may be warranted.

SUBMITTER: Cha S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4852689 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Age of Sexual Debut and Cannabis Use in the United States.

Cha Susan S Masho Saba W SW Mezuk Briana B

Substance use & misuse 20160216 4

<h4>Background</h4>Understanding the interrelationships between risky health behaviors is critical for health promotion efforts. Conceptual frameworks for understanding substance misuse (e.g. stepping-stone models) have not yet widely incorporated other risky behaviors, including those related to sexual health.<h4>Objectives</h4>The goals of this study were to assess the relationship between early sexual debut and cannabis use, examine the role of licit substance use in this association, and eva ...[more]

PMID: 26881806

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Project description:BACKGROUND AND AIMS:Parental alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and parental separation are associated with increased risk for early use of alcohol in offspring, but whether they increase risks for early use of other substances and for early sexual debut is under-studied. We focused on associations of parental AUDs and parental separation with substance initiation and sexual debut to (1) test the strength of the associations of parental AUDs and parental separation with time to initiation (age in years) of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use and sexual debut and (2) compare the strength of association of parental AUD and parental separation with initiation. DESIGN:Prospective adolescent and young adult cohort of a high-risk family study, the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). SETTING:Six sites in the United States. PARTICIPANTS:A total of 3257 offspring (aged 14-33 years) first assessed in 2004 and sought for interview approximately every 2 years thereafter; 1945 (59.7%) offspring had a parent with an AUD. MEASUREMENTS:Diagnostic interview data on offspring substance use and sexual debut were based on first report of these experiences. Parental life-time AUD was based on their own self-report when parents were interviewed (1991-2005) for most parents, or on offspring and other family member reports for parents who were not interviewed. Parental separation was based on offspring reports of not living with both biological parents most of the time between ages 12 and 17 years. FINDINGS:Parental AUDs were associated with increased hazards for all outcomes, with cumulative hazards ranging from 1.19 to 2.71. Parental separation was also an independent and consistent predictor of early substance use and sexual debut, with hazards ranging from 1.19 to 2.34. The strength of association of parental separation with substance initiation was equal to that of having two AUD-affected parents, and its association with sexual debut was stronger than the association of parental AUD in one or both parents. CONCLUSIONS:Parental alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and parental separation are independent and consistent predictors of increased risk for early alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use and sexual debut in offspring from families with a high risk of parental AUDs.

Dataset Information

Age of Sexual Debut and Cannabis Use in the United States.

Publications

Age of Sexual Debut and Cannabis Use in the United States.

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