TY - JOUR
T1 - Cocaine use is declining among emerging adults in the United States
T2 - Trends by college enrollment
AU - Schneider, Kristin E.
AU - Johnson, Julie K.
AU - Johnson, Renee M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse , United States [grant numbers 5T32DA007292-25 (KES and JKJ supported, Co-PIs: Johnson and Maher), K01DA031738 (PI: RMJ)]. The study sponsor had no role in determining study design; data collection, analysis, or interpretation; writing the report; or the decision to submit the report for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2019/9
Y1 - 2019/9
N2 - Background: The difference in cocaine use between student and non-student emerging adults is not well understood, despite the longstanding assumption that college is protective against use. Objective: To describe trends in cocaine use among emerging adults by college enrollment. Methods: Using cross-sectional, nationally-representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002–2016), we estimated the prevalence of four cocaine use indicators by year among emerging adults (ages 18–22) and stratified by college enrollment. We tested for linear and quadratic trends over time. Results: From 2002 to 2016, 11.7% reported lifetime cocaine use, 5.8% reported past 12-month use, 1.7% reported past 30-day use, and 1% had a use disorder in the past 12-months. We observed significant linear decreases in all four use indicators over time (Lifetime: β = −0.20, Past 12-months: β = −0.17, Past 30-days: β = −0.22, Past 12-months disorder: β = −0.37). Students had lower rates of cocaine use than non-students, although prevalence estimates were more similar between groups for past 12-month (Students:5.3%, 95% CI:5.0–5.5; Non-students:6.3%, 95% CI:6.1–6.5) and past 30-day use (Students:1.6%, 95% CI:1.4–1.7; Non-students:1.8%, 95% CI:1.7–1.9) than for lifetime use (Students:9.4%, 95% CI:9.1–9.7; Non-students:13.8%, 95% CI:13.5–14.1). Conclusions: Cocaine use has declined among emerging adults since the early 2000s. The college environment appears compensate for early life differences in cocaine use risk between students and non-students, closing the gap between groups for recent indicators of cocaine use. Given the severe health consequences associated with cocaine use, more public health attention to this issue is needed.
AB - Background: The difference in cocaine use between student and non-student emerging adults is not well understood, despite the longstanding assumption that college is protective against use. Objective: To describe trends in cocaine use among emerging adults by college enrollment. Methods: Using cross-sectional, nationally-representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002–2016), we estimated the prevalence of four cocaine use indicators by year among emerging adults (ages 18–22) and stratified by college enrollment. We tested for linear and quadratic trends over time. Results: From 2002 to 2016, 11.7% reported lifetime cocaine use, 5.8% reported past 12-month use, 1.7% reported past 30-day use, and 1% had a use disorder in the past 12-months. We observed significant linear decreases in all four use indicators over time (Lifetime: β = −0.20, Past 12-months: β = −0.17, Past 30-days: β = −0.22, Past 12-months disorder: β = −0.37). Students had lower rates of cocaine use than non-students, although prevalence estimates were more similar between groups for past 12-month (Students:5.3%, 95% CI:5.0–5.5; Non-students:6.3%, 95% CI:6.1–6.5) and past 30-day use (Students:1.6%, 95% CI:1.4–1.7; Non-students:1.8%, 95% CI:1.7–1.9) than for lifetime use (Students:9.4%, 95% CI:9.1–9.7; Non-students:13.8%, 95% CI:13.5–14.1). Conclusions: Cocaine use has declined among emerging adults since the early 2000s. The college environment appears compensate for early life differences in cocaine use risk between students and non-students, closing the gap between groups for recent indicators of cocaine use. Given the severe health consequences associated with cocaine use, more public health attention to this issue is needed.
KW - Cocaine
KW - College
KW - Emerging adults
KW - Trends
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U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.04.015
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.04.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 31030177
AN - SCOPUS:85064709007
SN - 0306-4603
VL - 96
SP - 35
EP - 38
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
ER -