From "Kickeando las malias" (kicking the withdrawals) to "Staying clean": The impact of cultural values on cessation of injection drug use in aging Mexican-American men.

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Drug use among older adults is a growing concern, particularly for the burgeoning Hispanic population. Older adults seeking drug treatment will double over the next decade to almost 6 million. Cultural factors influence drug use, and more specifically, Hispanic cultural values influence heroin use. This study explored Mexican-American injection drug users' adherence to traditional Hispanic cultural values and their impact on cessation. Ethnographic interviews endorsed contextualized influences of values on heroin use. Cultural values functioned dichotomously, influencing both initiation and cessation. Understanding the impact of cultural values on substance abuse is critical given the changing demographics in American society.

Medical Subject Headings

Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Culture; Heroin Dependence; Humans; Male; Mexican Americans; Middle Aged; Qualitative Research; Risk Factors; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Surveys and Questionnaires; Texas

Publication Date

6-1-2014

Publication Title

Substance use & misuse

ISSN

1532-2491

Volume

49

Issue

8

First Page

941

Last Page

954

PubMed ID

24779493

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3109/10826084.2013.776084

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