Race, Employment Disadvantages, and Heavy Drinking: A Multilevel Model

Aims. We intended to determine (1) whether stress from employment disadvantages led to increased frequency of heavy drinking and (2) whether race had a role in the relationship between such disadvantages and heavy drinking. Methods. Study data came from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a prospective study that has followed a representative sample of youth since 1979. We used specifically that data collected 1982–2010 (11 years), because it included heavy-drinking measures; our final sample numbered 10,171 respondents, which generated 75,394 person-waves for data analysis. We let state unemployment rate, number of weeks unemployed, and number of weeks out of the labor force indicate time-varying employment disadvantages. Frequency of heavy drinking was measured as number of times in past month at least 6 drinks were consumed on a single occasion. Results. Both of our hypotheses were supported by results of mixed-effects linear regression capturing the time-varying nature of the 3 employment disadvantages and of the heavy-drinking outcome. The results show that more-frequent heavy drinking was associated with employment disadvantages, and that disadvantages’ effect on drinking was stronger for Blacks and Hispanics than for Whites. Conclusions. That worsening employment disadvantages have worse effects on minority groups’ heavy drinking than on Whites’ heavy drinking probably contributes to the racial health disparities in our nation. Policies and programs addressing such disparities are especially important during economic downturns.