On a typical weekend, more than 7,000 young Americans cross the U.S. border at San Diego into Tijuana, Mexico. PIRE's recent cross-border work reveals that, less than a mile from the border gates, a strip of all night bars caters to young American drinkers. Here, alcohol is cheap and plentiful. The legal drinking age is 18--three years younger than the American minimum legal drinking age--and loosely enforced. The atmosphere is festive, enforcement is lax, and disruptive behavior is often overlooked. Inherent to this environment is violence--and of special concern in this proposal is the violence directed at young women aged 20 and younger. Many of the young women crossing the border seek a """"""""good time"""""""" and an opportunity to """"""""break loose"""""""" from traditional constraints. Preliminary studies suggest that these young women may be unaware of the possible dangers in this drinking environment. Unfortunately, many discover those risks only when they become victims of harassment, aggression, and violence. The data collected in this research project will provide an overall understanding of the extent of cross-border drinking/drugging and victimization experiences of young women. These data will enhance the existing prevention program framework by directly addressing the risks associated with heavy alcohol/drug use for young women crossing the border. Most relevant to this proposal is that the information gained from the first year of data collection will lead to the development of an intervention to reduce the level of alcohol/drug use and the risks of victimization for young women crossing into Mexico, which then will be tested as a feasibility study.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA015118-05
Application #
7475265
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-HOP-J (90))
Program Officer
Freeman, Robert
Project Start
2004-09-30
Project End
2010-07-31
Budget Start
2008-08-01
Budget End
2010-07-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$297,615
Indirect Cost
Name
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
Department
Type
DUNS #
021883350
City
Beltsville
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
20705
Kelley-Baker, Tara; Johnson, Mark B; Romano, Eduardo et al. (2011) Preventing victimization among young women: The SafeNights intervention. Am J Health Stud 26:185-195
Mumford, Elizabeth A; Kelley-Baker, Tara; Romano, Eduardo (2011) Sexual assault histories and evening drinking among young american men in a high-risk drinking environment. J Sex Res 48:53-61
Mumford, Elizabeth; Gitchell, Joe G; Kelley-Baker, Tara et al. (2011) Crossing a border for a low-cost, high-risk environment: smoking status and excessive drinking among young adults in Tijuana. Subst Use Misuse 46:466-75
Kelley-Baker, Tara; Mumford, Elizabeth A; Vishnuvajjala, Radha et al. (2008) A Night in Tijuana: Female Victimization in a High-Risk Environment. J Alcohol Drug Educ 52:46-71