WITHDRAWN: Moving and Substance Use Behaviors in Young Adulthood

Introduction: Previous research has reported differences in adolescent substance use between urban and rural areas; those in urban areas showed a greater increase in heavy drinking during adolescence than rural youth although rural youth reported higher levels of some drugs than urban youth (e.g., cigarette, smokeless tobacco, snus, and heavy drinking). Mobility rates are high in young adulthood, and moving is an important milestone for youth and young adults. We investigate how moving (i.e., changes in urbanicity) in young adulthood is associated with substance use behaviors.

Methods: Data were from the Monitoring the Future study, an ongoing series of surveys on nationally representative samples of 12th-graders in the US. Preliminary analyses included panel data from 17,696 individuals who were high school seniors in 2000-2014 and participated in a subsequent follow-up survey at modal ages 19/20. In 12^th grade and at ages 19/20, participants reported the place where they lived mostly (on a farm, country, small city, medium-sized city, suburb of med-sized city, large city, suburb of large city, very large city, suburb of large city); this was categorized into 3 levels of urbanicity (1=farm/country, 2=small/medium-sized city, 3=large city). Moving was measured by a change in the level of urbanicity between ages 18 and 19/20 (non-movers and movers [farm/country to small/medium city, farm/country to large city, small/medium city to farm/country, small/medium to large city, large to farm/country, large to small/medium city]). Survey weighted regression models were used to examine the association between moving and frequency of binge drinking, marijuana use, and cigarette use at age 19/20. All analyses were stratified by age 18 urbanicity and controlled for sociodemographics, academic achievement, and substance use behaviors at age 18 and college attendance at age 19/20.

Results: Findings showed that among those who lived in a farm/country at age 18, those who moved to a large city binged more frequently than those who stayed in a farm/country (b=0.15, p<.05). Among those who lived in a large city at age 18, those who moved to a farm/country used cigarette less frequently than those who stayed in a large city (b=-0.19, p<.05). No significant effects of moving on marijuana use were found.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that changes in urbanicity are related to substance use behaviors, however, this effect differed depending on where individuals lived at ages 18 and 19/20. Discussion will focus on potential interventions targeting those who experience changes in urbanicity in young adulthood.