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Cited by 80Indigenous Health, Education, and RightsRacial and Ethnic Identity ResearchSubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Historical Trauma and Substance Use among Native Hawaiian College Students

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Pokhrel, Pallav, Herzog, Thaddeus A.·2014·American Journal of Health Behavior
DOI 10.5993/ajhb.38.3.11PMC PMC4877175
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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To test the relationships among historical trauma, perceived discrimination, and substance use (cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use) among Native Hawaiians. METHODS: Cross sectional self-report data were collected online from 128 Native Hawaiian community college students (M age = 27.5; SD = 9.5; 65% Women). Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Historical trauma had 2 paths to substance use: an indirect path to higher substance use through higher perceived discrimination and a direct path to lower substance use. CONCLUSIONS: Thoughts, knowledge, or experience associated with historical trauma may enhance substance use behavior via increased perceived discrimination and may also be protective against substance use, possibly via increased pride in one's cultural heritage. This research has implications for historical trauma, discrimination, and substance use research concerning Native Hawaiians.

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  • Historical trauma is directly linked to poor health outcomes and increased substance use.

    “Previous research has established historical trauma as directly linked to poor health outcomes and increased substance use [20,21,22,26,27,28,29,99].”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [99]

    The Historical Trauma section reports prior research linking historical trauma with poorer mental health and greater likelihood of substance use among American Indians. But this paper’s Results found that, among Native Hawaiian college students, the path to higher substance use was indirect, through perceived discrimination; the direct path was to lower substance use. It therefore does not support an unqualified direct link to increased substance use. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • AIANs resorted to substance use and other behavioral addictions to cope with multiple, chronic, and acute stressors related to discrimination, cultural and material losses, genocide, and knowledge of deliberate efforts to erase the culture.

    “Potentially as a direct result, or through indirect associations, AIANs resorted to substance use and other behavioral addictions to cope with the multiple, chronic, and acute stressors related to discrimination, cultural and material losses, genocide, and knowledge of the deliberate efforts to erase the culture [26,27,28,29,99].”

    From Substance and Behavioral Addictions among American Indian and Alaska Native Populations (2022) · cites this paper as [99]

    The Historical Trauma section says research among American Indians links historical trauma with substance use and describes substance use as a possible means of coping. The paper does not establish that AIANs resorted to substance use as a direct or indirect result of the full list of stressors, and it does not address other behavioral addictions; its own study concerns Native Hawaiian college students. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Research works printed but not linked: 37

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Pokhrel, P., & Herzog, T. A.
Affiliations
Cancer Center of Hawaii (US)
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Health Behavior
Publisher
JCFCorp SG PTE LTD
Published
2014-05-01
Volume
38
Issue
3
Pages
420-429
ISSN
  • 1087-3244 (ISSN-L)
  • 1945-7359
DOI
10.5993/ajhb.38.3.11
PMC
PMC4877175
OpenAlex
W2003811037
Cited by
80
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2
FWCI
1.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Health Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Center for Research Resources (U54RR026136)
  • National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (U54MD007584)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Health › Indigenous Health, Education, and Rights
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords
historical trauma, substance use, Native Hawaiians, perceived discrimination, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, cannabis use, university students, cultural pride, community college students
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Hawaii, Humans, Male, Surveys and Questionnaires, Stress, Psychological, Substance-Related Disorders, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, History, 19th Century, History, 20th Century, History, 21st Century, Young Adult, Social Discrimination

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