A Cross-National Investigation of Youth Volatile Substance Use in Seattle USA, Melbourne Australia and Mumbai India

Introduction: Although there are important questions regarding the effects of modernization and globalization on young people in rapidly developing countries such as India, there have been few well-conducted comparative studies. Mumbai is one of the fastest modernizing cities in India. Volatile substance use is of concern due both to immediate health risks and also their potential to act as a gateway experience to other substance use and risk behaviors. Use of volatile substances has been reported among young people in India, although reliable prevalence data is required. The present paper aims to report the cross-national prevalence rates of volatile substance use among young people in Mumbai India, Australia and the United States and their co-occurrence with misuse of other drugs, antisocial behavior, depression and modifiable risk factors.

Methods: This study is based on a total sample of around 6.000 adolescent school students in the age range of 11-15 drawn from Mumbai, India (n = 2,000), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia (n=1929) and Seattle/ Tacoma, Washington State in the United States (n=1907).  The student survey protocol consisted of a matched self-report instrument - The International Youth Development Study. The present analysis reports on rates of lifetime volatile substance use, and co-occurrence with other alcohol and drug use, antisocial behavior, depression and associated risk and protective factors within adolescent cohorts of average age 11, 13 and 15 (Grades 5, 7 and 9). Multivariate logistic regression is used to cross-nationally compare predictors of volatile substance use.

Results: The results reveal country and cohort differences. Relatively high rates of volatile substance use were reported by the Mumbai girls in the younger cohorts (age 11, Grade 5) (Mumbai 6.4%, 95% Confidence Interval CI 2.9 to 13.4%; Melbourne 2.0%, CI 1.1 to 3.6; Seattle/ Tacoma 2.1%, CI 1.1 to 4.0%). Cross-national associations were generally in the same direction, however there were country and cohort differences in levels. Risk factor predictor associations tended to be generally weaker in Mumbai.

Conclusions: These analyses are discussed with reference to their implications for policy options for addressing adolescent volatile substance use. The findings have implications for scientific understanding of cross-national differences and similarities in adolescent development and for planning international prevention programs. The high levels of volatile substance use in some Mumbai cohorts suggest the importance of identifying and monitoring potentially modifiable risk processes.