Negative life events and incident alcohol use disorders among ethnic minorities

Abstract

The association of negative life events (NLEs) with incident alcohol use disorders (AUDs) was examined among Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites in the second wave of the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) among 3,679 participants without AUDs at the first wave. The number of past-year NLEs at NCS-2 was higher for Black than White participants, but the rates of incident AUDs did not differ by racial/ethnic group (14.2% among all participants). Past-year NLEs were associated with increased odds of incident AUDs for Whites and Hispanics but not Blacks. The implications of racial/ethnic differences in life events and AUDs are discussed.

Keywords:

• Alcohol use disorders
• ethnicity
• incidence
• life events

Additional information

Funding

The National Comorbidity Survey was supported by the National Institutes of Health under grants R01MH/DA46376 and R01MH49098 and the William T. Grant Foundation under grant 90135190.