The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45239

Thomas K. Greenfield, PhD, Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 2000 Hearst Ave., Suite 300, Berkeley, CA 94709-2130, (510) 642-5208, tgreenfield@arg.org

Results of the new National Alcohol Survey (N10) addressing problems in special populations will be presented and implications for alcohol policy and epidemiology discussed. N10 is the latest of a 5-yearly epidemiological survey series conducted for the Alcohol Research Group, tracking evolving drinking practices in the US. In all 9,044 respondents were interviewed by telephone (411 re-interviewed in person), including 1,021 aged 18-39 in a San Francisco Bay Supplement studying Risk of AIDS. The main survey of 50 states included over-samples of African Americans, Hispanics and low-population states. After a session overview, Tom Greenfield will present risk-curve analyses examining the dose-response functions for black white and Hispanic samples, linking volume and frequency of heavy drinking to alcohol dependence and tangible consequences. Patricia McDaniel will consider the ways in which drinking contexts affect women and men's drinking patterns, to be followed by Karen Trocki, who reports on substance abuse and risky sexual practices, drawing on both national data and her Bay Area Supplement. Laurie Drabble next presents new results on alcohol use and problems among lesbians and gay men. Lastly, Anne Lown reports initial findings on the association between women's self-reported child sexual abuse, adolescent heavy drinking and later alcohol problems. The discussant, Tom Harford, will explore implications of these results for informing public health policy and practice by identifying high-risk groups, helping design effective interventions and distinguish safer from more hazardous drinking patterns. (Intro. 6 mts; presentations and discussant 12 mts ea.; 12 mts for audience. Supported by NIAAA Center grant P50 AA05595)

Learning Objectives: Participants attending this session will be able to

• Articulate how alcohol consumption patterns and other risk factors affect alcohol dependence and alcohol consequences (such as family, work or legal problems) in special population groups including black, white and Hispanic Americans, women, and lesbian and gay men.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of survey methods to study alcohol and other substance use and related problems in these special populations.
• Recognize and discuss a number public health practice and policy implications of these new survey data, such as identification of at-risk groups, developing evidence-based interventions and alcohol policies, and tailoring health messages to special groups.

Keywords: Alcohol Problems, Special Populations

Related Web page: www.arg.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.