Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...

Gathering Epidemiologic
Information on <strong>Inhalant</strong> <strong>Abuse</strong>:
Some Methodological Issues
Blanche Frank
Given what is known about inhalant use, an urgency exists to know more.
For a variety <strong>of</strong> reasons, however, the current base <strong>of</strong> epidemiologic
information barely scratches the surface. In an effort to understand the
methodological research issues involved, this chapter reviews ways in
which drug abuse research is conducted, drawing mainly on examples in
New York City, specifically, and New York State, generally, and the
particular limitations associated with research concerning inhalant use.
THE EXISTING BASE OF INFORMATION
From information already gathered, it is clear that young children
and adolescents are especially susceptible to the use <strong>of</strong> inhalants,
including gasoline, paint thinner, a variety <strong>of</strong> solvents, nitrous oxide,
and butyl nitrites. Numerous school surveys attest to this fact, as do
ethnographic-type observations <strong>of</strong> youth on the streets <strong>of</strong> cities and
villages throughout the world (Frank et al. 1988; Mata and Andrew 1988;
Medina-Mora and Ortiz 1988).
Indications also exist that trends in inhalant use among youth are either
increasing or remaining stable. For instance, while the use <strong>of</strong> alcohol,
cigarettes, marijuana, and cocaine have declined among secondary school
students in New York State, especially over the past decade or so, the use
<strong>of</strong> inhalants generally has remained unchanged. The <strong>National</strong> High
School Senior Survey, which also now includes 8th graders and 10th
graders, shows almost one in five students having ever used inhalants
among each <strong>of</strong> these grade levels over the past several years. In 1992,
17 percent <strong>of</strong> students in each <strong>of</strong> these grades had used inhalants at least
once in their lifetimes (Johnston 1993).
Studies also suggest that the use <strong>of</strong> inhalants among the very young (with
the mode at 12 years to 13 years <strong>of</strong> age) may be a predictor <strong>of</strong> more
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