Mulia Nina, Li Libo, Williams Edwina, Guo Zihe, Witbrodt Jane, Tam Christina, Lui Camillia K
Alcohol Research Group, Emeryville, California, USA.
Public Health Institute, Oakland, California, USA.
Subst Use Misuse. 2025;60(1):64-73. doi: 10.1080/10826084.2024.2406017. Epub 2024 Oct 8.
Growing research suggests that adversity experienced early in life can affect young children's development, with implications for health-related outcomes years later. This study explored long-term associations between early life adversity before age 5 (ELA) and later substance use outcomes, and racial and ethnic differences in associations.
Data are from children born 1984-2000 to female participants in the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Youth-1979 cohort ( = 4582 children nested within 2683 mothers, with 1.4-1.8 outcome observations on average for each child in each age period). ELA at ages 0-4 was measured through home observations and maternal surveys, and included high parental conflict and maternal hazardous drinking/drug use (threat-related exposures), and low cognitive stimulation, low emotional support, and household poverty (deprivation-related exposures). Alcohol and cannabis use frequency were measured in biennial adolescent and young adult surveys through 2016. Analyses involved multilevel regression and interactions accounting for demographics, birth cohort, and family history of alcoholism.
ELA-threat exposure was associated with greater alcohol and cannabis use frequency in mid-adolescence and at ages 22-25 and 26-32 [exp()'s = 1.05 to 1.13, 's < 0.05]. Associations of ELA-deprivation with substance use were either null or negative. There were pronounced racial and ethnic inequities in ELA exposure but no evidence of racial and ethnic differences in associations between ELA and later substance use.
Broadening substance use research to focus on early childhood conditions appears warranted. Studies that identify intervening pathways to outcomes could inform early, targeted substance use prevention. Efforts are needed to eliminate racial and ethnic inequities in early life conditions.
越来越多的研究表明，早年经历的逆境会影响幼儿的发育，并对多年后的健康相关结果产生影响。本研究探讨了5岁前的早年逆境（ELA）与后期物质使用结果之间的长期关联，以及关联中的种族和民族差异。
数据来自1984 - 2000年出生的儿童，其母亲参与了美国青年纵向研究1979队列（n = 4582名儿童嵌套在2683名母亲中，每个年龄阶段每个儿童平均有1.4 - 1.8次结果观察）。0 - 4岁的ELA通过家庭观察和母亲调查进行测量，包括高父母冲突和母亲危险饮酒/药物使用（与威胁相关的暴露），以及低认知刺激、低情感支持和家庭贫困（与剥夺相关的暴露）。通过2016年的两年一次的青少年和青年成人调查测量酒精和大麻使用频率。分析涉及多水平回归以及考虑人口统计学、出生队列和酒精中毒家族史的交互作用。
ELA - 威胁暴露与青少年中期、22 - 25岁和26 - 32岁时更高的酒精和大麻使用频率相关[exp()值 = 1.05至1.13，P值 < 0.05]。ELA - 剥夺与物质使用的关联要么为零，要么为负。ELA暴露存在明显的种族和民族不平等，但没有证据表明ELA与后期物质使用之间的关联存在种族和民族差异。
将物质使用研究拓宽至关注幼儿期状况似乎是有必要的。确定结果干预途径的研究可为早期、有针对性的物质使用预防提供信息。需要努力消除早年生活状况中的种族和民族不平等。
