The rapid financial, political and social changes on-going in the U.S. today have large-scale implications for the risk behavior and health outcomes in America's most marginalized communities. Particularly vulnerable to these transitional processes are youth residing in U.S.- Mexico border communities, a largely neglected population whose heavy documented levels of alcohol consumption far exceed the current national rate. The present study seeks to examine an integrated micro and macro level framework of socioeconomic and political rapid transition on drinking behavior among Mexican youth residing in the U.S.-Mexico border region. The study consists of two distinct phases. During Phase 1, we will conduct two qualitative activities. Specifically, we will conduct: 1) focus groups with local key informants (n=20) from government institutions, law enforcement, and local health and service providers and 2), individual in-depth interviews with adolescents and their mothers residing in border communities (n=20 dyads). Informed by Phase 1 activities, during Phase 2 we will develop and administer a survey to 300 mother-adolescent dyads residing in Texas border communities to identify the political, social, cultural, economic and individual-level determinants of adolescent alcohol use that will be further explored in the larger R01 study and to establish the concurrent validity of these measures. The proposed exploratory study will provide preliminary data to support the long term goal of the program of research, the development of a targeted alcohol prevention intervention for border youth. The proposed project is highly significant and has the potential to greatly impact conceptual frameworks related to prevention of alcohol and other risk behavior given the ongoing and frequent occurrence of destabilizing financial and political events in the current global environment.

Public Health Relevance

The present research examines an innovative framework on how recent socioeconomic and political transitions shape alcohol use among youth residing in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border; a region particularly vulnerable and neglected in current alcohol prevention efforts. Findings will inform alcohol interventions targeting border youth and increase understanding of how transitional contextual processes influence risk behavior in the current global environment of financial crises and destabilizing political events.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21AA022215-02
Application #
8852021
Study Section
Neuroscience Review Subcommittee (AA)
Program Officer
Godette, Dionne
Project Start
2014-06-01
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2015-06-01
Budget End
2017-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
New York University
Department
Type
Schools of Social Welfare/Work
DUNS #
041968306
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10012