Correlates of problem drinking among Latino men in the Rural Southern U.S

Background: Problem drinking is associated with myriad health problems. Although Latino men, relative to white men, drink less frequently, they are more likely to drink heavily. This analysis was designed to identify correlates of problem drinking within a sample of heterosexual immigrant Latino men in rural North Carolina. Methods: This analysis examines demographic and psychosocial correlates of two measures of problem drinking: typical-week drunkenness (TWD) and 30-day heavy episodic drinking (HED). Using baseline data from our community-based participatory research study, we sought to identify correlates of TWD and HED. Bivariate associations were identified and tested using multivariable logistic regression to identify the independent contribution of each factor while adjusting for the effects of other factors in the model. Results: Of the 261 participants, the mean age was 27(SD=7.7) years and 77% reported being born in Mexico. In multivariable modeling, TWD was associated with: lower religiosity scores (aOR=.22; 95% CI=.10-.45), lower acculturation scores (aOR=.39; 95% CI=.21-.70), and older age (aOR=1.06; 95% CI=1.02-1.11). HED was associated with: lower religiosity scores (aOR=.21; 95% CI=.10-.42), fewer years of education (aOR=.26; 95% CI=.12-.56), and older age (aOR=1.08; 95% CI=1.03-1.13). Conclusion: The health of racial/ethnic minority men in the US has been traditionally neglected, and immigrant Latino men comprise a particularly vulnerable population, about whom little is known. This analysis provides initial data on some factors associated with problem drinking, but future studies should seek to examine moderating or mediating factors between age, acculturation and religiosity and drinking that might be good targets for behavioral interventions.