Drug Abuse Prevention in Ethnic Minority Youth

Although drug abuse affects all segments of society, the negative impact of drug abuse is most severe in minority communities, particularly among African American and Hispanic American adults in economically disadvantaged urban settings. Fortunately, significant advances have been made in preventing drug abuse in recent decades, and effective programs are available for school, family, and community settings. Many of these interventions focus on adolescents because it is during the teenage years that substance use typically begins. Prevention programs can be categorized into three major types. Universal programs focus on all youth in a particular setting. Selective programs target high-risk youth, such as those having academic problems in school. Indicated programs are designed for youth who are already experimenting with drugs or engaging in other high-risk ...