The Impacts of Inclusionary State Immigrant Policies on Psychosocial Outcomes Among Latinx Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: State-level policies that exclude immigrants, primarily undocumented, from public services and benefits have been found to have negative psychosocial impacts on Latinx adults, regardless of nativity. The effects of inclusionary policies-that is, extending public benefits to all immigrants-remain underexamined, as well as the impacts on adolescents. METHOD: We used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey from 2009 to 2019 to examine the association between 7 state-level inclusionary policies and bullying victimization, low mood, and suicidality among Latinx adolescents via 2-way fixed-effects log-binomial regression models. RESULTS: Banning the use of eVerify in employment was associated with decreased bullying victimization (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.53-0.74), low mood (PR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.78-0.98), and suicidality (PR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62-0.86). Extending public health insurance coverage was associated with decreased bullying victimization (PR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.49-0.67), and mandating Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) training for health care workers was associated with decreased low mood (PR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.69-0.91). Extending in-state tuition to undocumented students was associated with increased bullying victimization (PR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.04-1.30), and extending financial aid was associated with increased bullying victimization (PR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.08-2.19), low mood (PR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.08-1.40), and suicidality (PR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.01-1.89). CONCLUSION: The relationships between inclusionary state-level policies and Latinx adolescent psychosocial outcomes were mixed. Although most inclusionary policies were associated with improved psychosocial outcomes, Latinx adolescents residing in states with inclusionary policies related to higher education had worse psychosocial outcomes. Results suggest the importance of elucidating the unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies and the importance of continued efforts to reduce anti-immigrant sentiment.

The impact of hurricane trauma and cultural stress on posttraumatic stress among hurricane Maria survivors relocated to the U.S. mainland.

OBJECTIVES: Following Hurricane Maria, scores of Puerto Rican "Maria migrants" fled the island with thousands permanently resettling on the United States (U.S.) mainland. Emerging evidence suggests that many Maria migrants are exposed to migration-related cultural stressors, including discrimination, negative context of reception, and language stress. The present study examines the associations of premigration hurricane trauma and postmigration cultural stress with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and positive PTSD screens. METHOD: Participants were 319 adult (age 18+, 71% female) Puerto Rican Hurricane Maria survivors on the U.S. mainland. Data were collected virtually between August 2020 and October 2021. Participants completed Spanish-language measures of hurricane-related trauma, postmigration cultural stress exposure, PTSD symptoms, and positive screens. RESULTS: One in five (20.5%) Maria migrants reported PTSD scores in the range indicating a likely PTSD diagnosis (i.e., positive screen of 50+). Both hurricane trauma and migration-related cultural stressors independently predicted posttraumatic stress and positive PTSD screens. Additionally, controlling for the effect of hurricane trauma, discrimination and language stress were strongly linked with PTSD. Further, hurricane trauma and cultural stressors interact such that cultural stress predicts PTSD-positive screens at low-to-moderate levels of hurricane trauma exposure but not at high-to-very-high levels. CONCLUSION: Findings underscore the importance of providing mental health and other psychosocial supports to hurricane survivors and evacuees beyond the immediate aftermath of the disaster, and the need to consider both premigration trauma and postmigration experiences in terms of the mental health of crisis migrant populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Driving under the influence of cannabis and alcohol: Evidence from a national sample of young drivers.

OBJECTIVE: Driving under the influence (DUI) of psychoactive substances is an important public health and criminal justice issue, impacting the lives of millions of Americans. Although recent research provides up-to-date information regarding DUI among adults, there is a pressing need for research that focuses specifically on younger/underage drivers. We draw from a large, nationally-representative sample to provide up-to-date evidence as to the prevalence and key criminal justice, substance use, and behavioral health correlates of DUI of cannabis and alcohol among drivers ages 16 to 20 in the United States. METHODS: We used data from the 2020 and 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (young drivers ages 16-20; N=12,863). All analyses-survey adjusted prevalence estimates, logistic regression-were conducted using Stata SE 17.0 and weighted to account for the study's stratified cluster sampling design. RESULTS: The prevalence of DUI-cannabis for the full sample-including those not endorsing past-year use-was 6.3%. Among youth endorsing past-year cannabis use, 24.5% reported DUI of cannabis. In the full sample and among cannabis users, DUI-cannabis risk was elevated among older and male youth. The prevalence of DUI-alcohol was 2.6% among all youth and 6.1% among youth reporting past-year alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates indicate that more than one million young drivers each year are placing their lives and those of others at risk by operating motor vehicles after consuming cannabis and/or alcohol. Findings underscore the importance of prevention efforts targeting underaged cannabis and alcohol-impaired driving.

Sexual minorities and substance use treatment utilization: New evidence from a national sample.

INTRODUCTION: Minority stress theory suggests that sexual minorities would be, on average, less likely than heterosexual individuals to seek out substance use treatment (due to concerns of stigma and rejection). However, prior research on the subject is mixed, and largely dated. In light of historic increases in societal acceptance and legal protections for sexual minorities, the field needs an up-to-date assessment of treatment utilization among this population. METHODS: This study used data from the 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine the association between key independent variables (sexual identity, gender) and substance use treatment utilization using binary logistic regression. We conducted analyses using a sample of adults with a past-year substance use disorder (N = 21,926). RESULTS: Controlling for demographic factors, with heterosexual individuals as the comparison group, gay/lesbian individuals (AOR = 2.12, CI = 1.19-3.77) were significantly more likely and bisexual individuals (AOR = 0.49, CI = 0.24-1.00) significantly less likely to report treatment utilization. Bisexual individuals were also less likely than gay/lesbian individuals to report treatment utilization (AOR = 0.10, CI = 0.05-0.23). Interaction tests examining sexual orientation and gender showed no difference in treatment utilization between gay men and lesbian women, and revealed that bisexual identity was associated with decreased likelihood of treatment utilization for men (p = .004) but not for women. CONCLUSION: Sexual orientation, particularly in the context of social identity, plays a significant role in substance use treatment utilization. Bisexual men face unique barriers to treatment, which is concerning given the high rates of substance use among this and other sexual minority populations.

Impact of School Shootings on Adolescent School Safety, 2009-2019.

Objectives. To examine the impact of school shootings on indicators of adolescent school safety in the United States. Methods. We linked 2009-2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data on 211 236 adolescents aged 14 to 18 years from 24 school districts with data on high school shootings from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security. We conducted 2-way fixed-effects logistic regression models to assess the impact of shootings on self-report of 3 indicators of school safety: avoiding school because of feeling unsafe, carrying a weapon at school, and being threatened or injured with a weapon at school. Results. High school shootings were associated with adolescents having 20% greater odds of avoiding school because of feeling unsafe (adjusted odd ratio [AOR] = 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11, 1.29) than those who had not. Findings were slightly attenuated in sensitivity analyses that tested exposure to shootings at any school in the district or state. High school shootings were associated with a statistically nonsignificant (P = .08) elevated risk of carrying a weapon at school (AOR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.99, 1.25). Conclusions. The negative ramifications of school shootings extend far beyond the event itself to adolescents' concerns about school safety. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(4):438-441. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307206).

Teleservices use among Latinx immigrant families during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Remote services are a promising option to reduce access to services inequities among underserved populations, such as immigrants families. There is evidence that Latinx immigrant families have used teleservices at lower rates than other families during the pandemic. This research explored the factors that prevented Latinxs immigrant families from engaging in teleservices during the Covid-19 pandemic. Using an inductive thematic approach, we interviewed 21 providers of services and key informants who worked with Latinxs families. Nonparticipation was driven by services unawareness, documentation requirements, a digital divide, and safety concerns. Implications for policy and practice concerning the implementation of remote services for immigrant families are discussed.

After-school programmes response to the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons learned from Barcelona, Spain.

This article explores the role of after-school programmes (ASPs) in serving underserved families in Barcelona, Spain, during the lockdown phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a mixed-method approach, this exploratory study surveyed 31 directors of ASPs administered by the Pere Tarrés Foundation. These ASPs serve almost 2000 children living under the federal poverty level in Catalonia, Spain. Results showed that the primary needs of children and their families revolved around: a digital divide that prevented them from accessing education remotely, financial difficulties, mental and behavioural problems and difficulty navigating pandemic-related information. The study also explores the ASPs' contributions to address such needs, like engaging families, schools and social and health services to meet the urgent needs of the families, reinforcing school learning, providing support for managing emotions and providing guidance to families to help them better understand health information and gain access to available social and financial resources.

Toward a typology of hallucinogen users in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Roughly one in ten American adults have used hallucinogens, and emerging evidence suggests that the prevalence of use is increasing. However, our understanding of the degree to which individuals "specialize" in the use of a particular hallucinogen or are poly-hallucinogen users remains incomplete. METHODS: This study examined data from 6381 individuals reporting past-year hallucinogen use in the 2016-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Logistic regression examined the association between the number of distinct hallucinogens used and psychosocial/behavioral risks, and latent class analysis (LCA) characterized subgroups of hallucinogen users. RESULTS: The vast majority of hallucinogen users, roughly 70%, are not "specialists" who use only one hallucinogen type; rather, lifetime poly-hallucinogen use is the norm. Critically, however, we also see that important differences exist within the population of hallucinogen users-half (51%) could be classified as LSD-Mushroom-Ecstasy users only (this group was disproportionally comprised of youth), nearly one third (30%) were Poly-Hallucinogen users (this group was disproportionately male and non-Hispanic White), and smaller proportions were limited primarily to use of LSD-Mushrooms (6%; these individuals were almost exclusively ages 35 and older) or Ecstasy Only (12%; these individuals were mostly younger adults ages 18-34). CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide a fresh contribution to our understanding of poly-hallucinogen use in a time in which local and state governmental leaders, and people across the country, weigh the benefits and drawbacks of legalizing specific hallucinogenic drugs.