Neighbourhood Deprivation and Alcohol Consumption: Does the Availability of Alcohol Play a Role?
Abstract overview:
This study examined the relationship between the availability of alcohol and individual alcohol consumption in three types of neighborhoods having different levels of deprivation (an area measure of socioeconomic status or SES). The study used data from cross-sectional surveys conducted between 1979 and 1990, with men and women living in four northern and central California cities and 82 different neighborhoods. A major strength of the study was the careful construction of neighborhood boundaries. It used geocoded addresses to link indicators of neighborhood deprivation from the U.S. census to measures of alcohol availability. Alcohol availability was measured by access to stores, bars, and restaurants that sold alcohol on site, and convenience stores and liquor stores that sold alcohol for consumption off premises.
The study defined heavy alcohol consumption as the level of drinking that increases the risk of mortality. For women, that number is more than seven drinks per week, and for men more than 14 drinks per week. To ascertain the availability of alcohol in any given neighborhood, three different measures were examined: 1) density of alcohol outlets in a person’s neighborhood, 2) closest distance to an alcohol outlet from a person’s home, and 3) the number of outlets within a half-mile radius of a person’s home.
Primary finding: 1) The availability of alcohol was not associated with heavy alcohol consumption. Although the most deprived (lowest SES) neighborhoods had the highest density of alcohol outlets, living in the most deprived neighborhoods was not related to heavy drinking. Instead, those who lived in the least deprived neighborhoods (highest SES) reported the highest levels of heavy alcohol consumption. Results showed that the density of alcohol outlets in the most deprived neighborhoods was 46% compared with 15% in the least deprived neighborhoods. However, people in the least deprived neighborhoods had a 30 percent higher odds of heavy alcohol consumption, even after considering individual characteristics such as gender, age and ethnicity.
Secondary findings of the study:
Secondary findings: 1) This study found that people were substantially more likely to be heavy drinkers when they lived in the least deprived areas, regardless of their own levels of education and income. This finding suggests a social and/or cultural connection to drinking habits in different neighborhoods. 2) Also, this study found that the availability of alcohol outlets is becoming more pervasive. In the 1979-80 survey, the number of outlets per square mile in neighborhoods ranged between 0 and 8. When the final survey was completed in 1989-90, the range was between 0 and 87 outlets per square mile.
Implications and recommendations from the study:
Although alcohol availability is more highly concentrated in low SES neighborhoods, women and men is high SES neighborhoods are the most likely to be the heaviest drinkers This serious mismatch between supply and demand of alcohol may lead to the suffering of those residents in lower SES neighborhoods from the negative health consequences of living near alcohol outlets. Studies indicate that alcohol-related crimes like homicide and assault, and accidents like motor vehicle crashes are higher around alcohol outlets and in poorer communities. Careful review of zoning regulations and licensing procedures should consider the deleterious effects that these establishments have on the community. Additionally, health care workers and community leaders should give attention to the social and cultural messages in higher SES neighborhoods that make alcohol consumption more acceptable.
