Remission from substance dependence in U.S. Whites, African Americans, and Latinos

The authors investigated remission from any type of substance dependence in Latinos, African Americans, and Whites using the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a national sample of community adults. Analyses focused on the 4,520 participants who indicated prior-to-last-year dependence on either alcohol or drugs. Outcome was categorized as current substance dependence or abuse, current use, or abstinence. Whites reported greater likelihood of substance dependence, and African Americans and Latinos were just as likely to remit as Whites once social support and age are controlled. The outcome variable "time to remission" produced a similar pattern of results.