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. 2021 Jan 22;26(1):12.
doi: 10.1186/s12199-020-00928-8.

Determinants of alcohol consumption and marijuana use among young adults in the Republic of Palau

Mizuki Sata  1   2 , Renzhe Cui  1 , Chifa Chiang  3 , Singeru Travis Singeo Jr  4 , Berry Moon Watson  4 , Hiroshi Yatsuya  3   5 , Kaori Honjo  1   6 , Takashi Mita  7 , Everlynn Joy Temengil  4 , Sherilynn Madraisau  4 , Kazumasa Yamagishi  8 , Atsuko Aoyama  3 , Hiroyasu Iso  9
Affiliations

Determinants of alcohol consumption and marijuana use among young adults in the Republic of Palau

Mizuki Sata et al. Environ Health Prev Med. .

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to describe the status of alcohol consumption and drug use among young adults as well as their determinants.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 356 young adults (aged 18 to 24 years) living in Palau in 2013. The prevalence of self-reported alcohol and marijuana usage were compared within and between sexes, age groups, ethnicities, and education levels.

Results: The proportion of current drinking was higher in people aged 21-24 than in those aged 18-20 (73.2% vs. 60.9%, p = 0.09 in men and 48.3% vs. 30.0%, p = 0.02 in women), while that of marijuana use did not differ between the age groups. The proportions of current drinking and marijuana use were higher in Palauan than in other ethnicities (current drinking: 70.6% vs. 40.6%, p = 0.005 in men and 38.8% vs. 16.6%, p = 0.04 in women; lifetime marijuana use: 80.0% vs. 52.9%, p = 0.02 in men and 56.1% vs. 30.6%, p = 0.09 in women). The proportion of frequent (3 times or more) marijuana users was higher for the lower educated than for the higher educated (62.5% vs. 32.1%, p < 0.001 in men and 33.9% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.12 in women).

Conclusions: Sex, age, ethnicity, and education were significant determinants of alcohol and marijuana use.

Keywords: Alcohol; Drug; Non-communicable disease; Pacific islanders; Palau.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sex-specific distributions of ages when marijuana was first used
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