Research makes links between gender, ethnicity, childhood abuse and alcohol use

Newsletter from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism highlights social determinants of health

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has a webzine called NIAAA Spectrum which profiles recent and upcoming alcohol research for a general audience.

Some of the articles in the February 2013 issue that might be of interest include:

• Alcohol trends in minority populations: Overall, racial and ethnic minorities experience higher alcohol-related morbidity and mortality rates than non-Hispanic Whites. And, historically, minorities have had large gender gaps in alcohol use, with women drinking much less than men or abstaining altogether. But this gender gap seems to be disappearing, at least among Hispanic young women. Recent data shows that Hispanic high school girls are drinking as much, or in some instances more, than their male counterparts.
• Linking childhood trauma and  stress-related drinking later in life: A recent research study suggests that women who experienced abuse as children are more likely to drink when stressed as adults.
• Where you live can influence how much you drink: Gender and ethnicity can interact with your neighborhood and affect risky drinking practices.

For more on NIAAA research, check out their website or see earlier posts:

• New FASD Research Summary from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (February 6, 2012)
• New “Women and Alcohol” fact sheet released from the NIAAA (February 11, 2011)