ATLANTA
Hispanic high school students use drugs and attempt suicide at higher rates than their Black and White classmates, according to a new federal survey that shows a continuation of a disturbing trend.
The study is the latest in a series of surveys of U.S. high school students every two years. The new report noted that Black and White students are reporting less sexual activity than in years past, but there was no decline among Hispanics.
In addition, Hispanic students were more likely than either Blacks or Whites to attempt suicide, ride with a driver who had been drinking alcohol, or use cocaine, heroin or ecstasy.
Hispanics also most often drank alcohol on school property, were offered or sold illegal drugs, and occasionally skipped school because they feared for their safety, according to the 2007 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Experts were unable to come up with an explanation for why Hispanic behavior trends differed. However, they speculated that school environments many Hispanics face may differ considerably from what adolescents of other races encounter. Earlier research found that Hispanics and Blacks more commonly attend highly segregated schools than Whites or Asians.
