INHALANT USE PATTERNS AMONG ESKIMO SCHOOL-CHILDREN IN WESTERN ALASKA

An inhalant use survey was administered to 376 school children in 14 i solated villages. Questions in the survey elicited gender and ethnic d istribution, frequency and duration of use, age of onset, reasons for using and inhalant of choice. These characteristics were further exami ned by dividing users into 2 groups based on use frequency and duratio n, i.e., Light Users and Heavy Users. Lifetime prevalence was 48%. Mos t inhalant use appeared to be sporadic, transient and occurring in soc ial context. Heavy Users differed from Light Users in that they were m ore likely to be male, have an earlier age of onset, have different et hnic distribution and use inhalants in response to affect. These child ren may represent an inhalant dependent subgroup. This finding of user heterogeneity has important implications for the development of effec tive prevention and treatment programs.