Journal article
Symptoms with betel nut and betel nut with tobacco among Micronesian youth
Addictive behaviors, Vol.53, pp.120-124
02/2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.011
PMID: 26476008
Abstract
Betel nut has been stated to be addictive, but evidence is lacking. This study describes dependence symptoms among adolescents using betel alone or with tobacco. In the first study, participants were 151 9th graders in Saipan. In the second study, participants were 269 9th graders in Pohnpei and Yap. Participants completed a confidential questionnaire adapted from the U.S. National Survey of Drug Use and Health, which measured dependence symptoms. The 15 items were summed to form a scale, with a range of 0–15, where higher scores indicated greater endorsement of dependence symptoms. In the first study, 39.1% had used betel. More than two-thirds of all users (69.5%) used betel in the previous month: 87.8% also used tobacco with the betel. The mean (SD) dependence symptoms scale score among tobacco users was 8.2±4.0 versus 3.4±2.9 among those who used betel alone [t(7)=3.3, p=0.015]. In the second study, 38% from Pohnpei and 85% from Yap had used betel and most of the current users used it in the previous month (67% from Pohnpei, 91% from Yap). Among those who had used betel in the previous month, 90% from Pohnpei and 64% from Yap were using betel with tobacco. The dependence score was positively associated with frequency of tobacco use (e.g., mean (SD)=11.3 (±2.4) among most frequent users versus a mean (SD)=4.8 (±3.5) among the never users [F(3109)=28.8, p<0.001]). Betel nut users who also use tobacco may benefit from tobacco cessation strategies.
•Betel nut, often with tobacco, use is a worldwide problem.•Betel use often begins in childhood.•The addictive potential of betel nut is confounded with the effects of tobacco.•Adolescents' dependence symptoms are higher for those who use tobacco with betel nut.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Symptoms with betel nut and betel nut with tobacco among Micronesian youth
- Creators
- Peter Milgrom - University of WashingtonOhnmar K. Tut - University of WashingtonMarcelle Gallen - Micronesia Conservation TrustLloyd Mancl - University of WashingtonNichea Spillane - Brown UniversityDonald L. Chi - University of WashingtonDouglas S. Ramsay - University of Washington
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Addictive behaviors, Vol.53, pp.120-124
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.10.011
- PMID
- 26476008
- NLM abbreviation
- Addict Behav
- ISSN
- 0306-4603
- eISSN
- 1873-6327
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- name: Division of Public Health and Public School System, Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, USA and the Ministry of Health, Federated States of Micronesia; DOI: 10.13039/100000102, name: HRSA, award: T12HP24711, T12HP27538
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2016
- Academic Unit
- Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984283562002771
Metrics
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