Examining the Role of Race and Gender as Moderators of the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Hazardous Alcohol Consumption among DUI Offenders

Abstract

Research consistently documents a positive association between depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking. Fewer studies have examined this relationship among high-risk populations such as Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offenders and rarely evaluate whether the association between depression and hazardous drinking varies by race and gender. We examined the relationship between depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking in a diverse sample of DUI offenders, extending previous research by examining the moderating effects of race and gender. We analyzed survey data collected from DUI offenders (N = 10,082) enrolled in the 2012 Mississippi Alcohol and Safety Education Program. We estimated a series of nested regression models to assess the relationship between depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking. The analyses also assessed the extent to which the hypothesized association between depression symptomology and hazardous drinking varied by race and gender. We documented a positive association between depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking among DUI offenders. The association between depressive symptoms and hazardous drinking was stronger for black offenders relative to white. We found no significant differences by gender. The incorporation of culturally specific needs of DUI offenders may help intervention efforts more efficiently reduce negative consequences associated with impaired driving.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Andrew Tatch

Andrew Tatch is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at Mississippi State University. His work focuses broadly on health disparities, substance use and abuse, and impaired driving.

Ismail Hakki Yigit

Ismail Hakki Yigit is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at Mississippi State University. His research broadly examines health outcomes of social inequalities, stratification, and ethnic, religious, and racial minorities.

Dustin Brown

Dr. Dustin Brown is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Mississippi State University and a Research Fellow at the Social Science Research Center. His research broadly examines the effects of social inequality and social relationships on adult health outcomes. His recent research primarily focuses on educational and marital status differences in morbidity, disability, and mortality risk among older adults.

Angela Robertson

Dr. Angela Robertson is Associate Director of the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University. Her research centers on multi-site and longitudinal studies of behavioral health issues among substance abusing and offender populations.