Selecting Communication Channels for Substance Misuse Prevention With At-Risk African-American Emerging Adults Living in the Southern United States

Natural health information sources used by African-American emerging adults were investigated to identify sources associated with high and low substance-related risk. Participants (110 males, 234 females; M age = 18.9 years) were recruited using respondent-driven sampling, and structured interviews assessed substance use, sources of health information, and preferences for help. Friends and social network sites were associated with higher risk, whereas teachers/schools were associated with lower risk (ps < .025). Despite risks associated with friends, more participants preferred receiving help from friends than the other sources. The findings inform targeted prevention messages that are sensitive to contextual and audience characteristics.