Religiosity, race/ethnicity, and alcohol use behaviors in the United States

• Published in: Psychological medicine 2017-01, Vol.47 (1), p.103-114
• Main Authors: Meyers, J. L., Brown, Q., Grant, B. F., Hasin, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking - ethnology; Alcohol related disorders; Alcohol related problems; Alcohol use; Associations; Attendance; Black or African American; Black People - ethnology; Data processing; Drinking behavior; Ethnic differences; Ethnicity; Female; Group size; Health problems; Hispanic or Latino - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Latin American cultural groups; Male; Mental disorders; Mental health; Middle Aged; Minority & ethnic groups; Original Articles; Race; Racial differences; Religion; Religion and Psychology; Religiosity; Religious beliefs; Religious organizations; Religious participation; Risk factors; Substance use disorder; United States - ethnology; White People - ethnology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0033-2917; 1469-8978; 1469-8978
• DOI: 10.1017/S0033291716001975

Religiosity is a protective factor against many health problems, including alcohol use disorders (AUD). Studies suggest that religiosity has greater buffering effects on mental health problems among US Blacks and Hispanics than Whites. However, whether race/ethnic differences exist in the associations of religiosity, alcohol consumption and AUD is unclear. Using 2004-2005 NESARC data (analytic n = 21 965), we examined the relationship of public religiosity (i.e. frequency of service attendance, religious social group size), and intrinsic religiosity (i.e. importance of religious/spiritual beliefs) to frequency of alcohol use and DSM-IV AUD in non-Hispanic (NH) Blacks, Hispanics and NH Whites, and whether associations differed by self-identified race/ethnicity. Only public religiosity was related to AUD. Frequency of religious service attendance was inversely associated with AUD (NH Whites β: -0.103, p 0.05) or Hispanics (β: -0.002, p > 0.05). US adults reporting greater public religiosity were at lower risk for AUD. Public religiosity may be particularly important among NH Blacks, while intrinsic religiosity may be particularly important among NH Whites, and among Hispanics who frequently attend religious services. Findings may be explained by variation in drinking-related norms observed among these groups generally, and in the context of specific religious institutions.