Association between hazardous drinking and exposure to community violence in the U.S.-Mexico border region

Background: There is little epidemiological data on alcohol use along the U.S.- Mexican border and no information about the impact of violence on hazardous drinking. Methods: Survey data is from 771 U.S. adults from the non-border city of San Antonio, 1,565 from  border cities, 811 residents of Mexico’s non-border city of Monterrey, and 1,649 residents from Mexican border cities. Total N=4,796. Participants were asked about alcohol consumption and exposure to 13 types of community violence ranging from theft to physical assault.  Results: The mean number of reported violent exposures is greater in the U.S. compared to Mexico (1.62 vs. 2.12; p<.0001, range=1-13). Residents in non-border regions (vs. border) for both countries reported more violent events (1.8 v. 1.5 in the U.S.; p<.0001 and 2.3 vs. 2.1 in Mexico, p=.01). In multivariate models predicting hazardous drinking in the U.S., violent events (but not border vs. non-border residence) increased the risk for women (adjOR=1.1; 95% CI 1.0-1.3) but not for men. In multivariate models for Mexico, there was higher risk for hazardous drinking in non-border towns (adjOR=1.8; 95% CI 1.3-2.6) and among residents exposed to violence (adjOR=1.2; 95% CI 1.1-1.3). Among Mexican women living in non-border regions, there was an interaction where exposure to violence increased risk for hazardous drinking more so than for border residents (adjOR=1.5; 95% CI 1.0-2.3). Conclusion: Exposure to community violence increased risk for hazardous drinking in U.S. women, residents in Mexico and particularly among women living in the non-border area of Mexico.