Patterns of Simultaneous and non-Simultaneous Use of Cannabis and Alcohol Among American Indian Adolescents.

Background: American Indian (AI) adolescents report earlier initiation and higher rates of cannabis and alcohol use compared to their non-AI peers. Simultaneous cannabis and alcohol (SCA) use is increasingly common. A primary goal of our research was to identify profiles of cannabis and alcohol use, including SCA use, among AI adolescents using latent class analysis (LCA).

Frequency is not enough: Characterizing heterogenous patterns of cannabis use intensity among reservation-area American Indian youth.

Background: Reservation-area American Indian (AI) youth use cannabis at significantly higher rates than their national counterparts. This discrepancy is concerning, as cannabis use-particularly heavy use-can negatively impact adolescents' health. Studies primarily use frequency to classify cannabis use intensity; however, frequency alone may not fully capture heterogenous patterns of use.

Family ties: examining family functioning and alcohol use among American Indian youth.

Purpose: This study aims to examine a second-order latent variable of family functioning built from two established protective factors for American Indian (AI) youth, i.e. family cohesion and parental monitoring.

Nicotine use among reservation-area American Indian adolescents compared with a national sample.

Background: Past research has found significant nicotine use disparities for reservation-area American Indian adolescents when compared to national levels. However, adolescent nicotine use has changed markedly, with reduced smoking and rapid increases in nicotine vaping. This study presents 2021-2022 prevalence estimates of tobacco product use, perceived harm and availability for reservation-area American Indian youth, with comparisons to the Monitoring the Future (MTF) national study.