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Tobacco and Other Drug Use among Foster Care Adolescents in West Virginia.

OBJECTIVES
This study presents tobacco and other drug use prevalence data from a statewide health screening program of foster care (FC) children in West Virginia, and explores associations with demographic and placement variables.


METHODS
Logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index were conducted to determine if placement type and geographic region were associated with tobacco and other drug use among FC adolescents screened in 2012-2013 by the Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT), or HealthCheck WV.


RESULTS
One-third of the 12-17 year-olds used tobacco and 24% used other drugs. Results from the logistic regression analyses showed that significant associations between tobacco and drug use and placement variables persisted after controlling for covariates. Adolescents in home placements were significantly less likely to use tobacco (AOR=0.294; 95% CI: 0.196-0.441) or drugs (AOR=0.269; 95%, CI: 0.164-0.443) than those in agency placements. Details of significant regional variations also are presented.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence of tobacco and drug use in West Virginia's FC adolescents and highlights a need for appropriate interventions for this vulnerable population.