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Commentary on C aetano, M ills, and V aeth (2012): The Role of Context on Alcohol Consumption Among Mexican Americans
Author(s) -
MaldonadoMolina Mildred M.,
Delcher Chris
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01779.x
Subject(s) - binge drinking , context (archaeology) , metropolitan area , consumption (sociology) , mexican americans , alcohol consumption , latin americans , population , psychology , gerontology , environmental health , demography , sociology , poison control , geography , suicide prevention , medicine , political science , alcohol , ethnic group , archaeology , social science , biochemistry , chemistry , law , anthropology
Background In this commentary, we discuss a study by Caetano and colleagues (2012) that examines alcohol consumption and binge drinking behavior among U.S.–Mexico border and non‐border Mexican Americans using data from the Hispanic Americans Baseline Alcohol Survey. Methods We discuss how Caetano and colleagues (2012) addressed 3 gaps in our understanding of drinking behaviors among Hispanics: (1) effects of living near the U.S.–Mexico border, (2) gender differences in drinking behaviors, and (3) alcohol‐related outcomes among young women. Results Findings suggest that Mexican American men and women living along the U.S.–Mexico border reported higher levels of drinking than their U.S. metropolitan counterparts (Caetano et al., 2012). Conclusions This study represents an important contribution to the dearth of studies investigating disparities in alcohol‐related consequences among Hispanic young adults living along the U.S.–Mexico border. Future research needs to examine why contextual factors of the U.S.–Mexico border generate differential effects in the Mexican American population.