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Introduction: Causal relationships between alcohol outlets and crime are inferred from their statistical associations across neighbourhoods. However, many unobserved covariates may confound these effects. Recognising that outlet sales vary by time of day and day of week, we assess whether areas with more bars/pubs, restaurants or off-premise outlets have more crime during days and times when alcohol sales are greatest., Methods: Annual administrative crime counts, sociodemographic data and other area characteristics of 336 Census block groups in Oakland, California, USA, were related to outlet densities from 2000 to 2015. Bayesian space-time Poisson models were used to measure associations between outlet densities and crime during: (i) weekday daytime; (ii) weekday nighttime; (iii) weekend daytime; and (iv) weekend nighttime periods (four seemingly unrelated equations). Comparisons of parameter estimates across equations provided an assessment of outlet effects on crime across days and times within the same analysis units using the same constellation of confounding covariates., Results: Assault and driving under the influence crime incidents during weekend evening hours were more frequent in Census block group areas with greater numbers of bar/pubs. Burglaries were consistently greater in areas with greater densities of restaurants., Discussion and Conclusions: The spatiotemporal signature relating densities of bars/pubs over weekend evening hours to assault and driving under the influence incidents suggests that these outlets are a critical source of these crimes across neighbourhoods. Prevention programs and policies that focus upon specific drinking establishments, days and times may be most effective in reducing assault and impaired driving incidents in neighbourhoods., (© 2023 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.)

Background and Aim: To inform the development of effective night-time preventive interventions, our goal was to assess adolescents' residence (i.e. being at) and transitions across contexts during evening hours and risks for drinking and drinking-related problems in relation to contexts and to these transitions., Design: Ecological momentary assessment and survey methods., Setting: Twelve mid-sized cities (50 000-500 000 population) in California, USA from December 2014 to September 2015., Analytical Sample: A total of 153 adolescents (mean age = 16.4, 46.2% female)., Measurement: Initial conditions (e.g. past-year heavy drinking, gender, best friend's approval of drinking); adolescents' residence (i.e. being at) and transitions between (a) their own homes, (b) others' homes and (c) public spaces (e.g. restaurants, parks, concert venues) at early, middle and late evening hours; drinking in these contexts at early, middle and late evening hours; and drinking-related problems across evening hours., Findings: Risks for drinking were 23.5 times greater in others' homes (P < 0.01) and somewhat less in public spaces [odds ratio (OR) = 6.01, P < 0.01], compared with own home. Risks for problems in any evening time were elevated in relation to being in others' homes (OR = 2.37, P < 0.05) and public spaces (OR = 2.71, P < 0.01) versus at own home. Drinking in others' homes was related to 5.9 times increase in odds of transitioning back to own home (OR = 5.93, P < 0.05), 11.9 times increase in odds of remaining in others' homes (OR = 11.86, P < 0.01) or 7.3 times increase in odds of transitioning from others' homes to public spaces (OR = 7.3, P < 0.05). Initial conditions were associated with being in states, drinking and problems during evening hours and transitions across states., Conclusions: In California, adolescents who are older, female, Hispanic or have greater spending money may be more likely to be outside their own home during evening hours than adolescents who do not match those criteria. In turn, being outside one's home during evening hours appears to be related to greater risks for drinking and drinking-related problems. Finally, transitions between contexts increased differential risks for drinking such that, for example, drinking in others' homes was highly related to transitioning to public spaces and less to returning to own home., (© 2021 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Population analyses of the correlates of neighborhood crime implicitly assume that a single spatial unit can be used to assess neighborhood effects. However, no single spatial unit may be suitable for analyses of the many social determinants of crime. Instead, effects may appear at multiple spatial resolutions, with some determinants acting broadly, others locally, and still others as some function of both global and local conditions. We provide a multiresolution spatial analysis that simultaneously examines US Census block, block group, and tract effects of alcohol outlets and drug markets on violent crimes in Oakland, California, incorporating spatial lag effects at the 2 smaller spatial resolutions. Using call data from the Oakland Police Department from 2010-2015, we examine associations of assaults, burglaries, and robberies with multiple resolutions of alcohol outlet types and compare the performance of single (block-level) models with that of multiresolution models. Multiresolution models performed better than the block models, reflected in improved deviance and Watanabe-Akaike information criteria and well-supported multiresolution associations. By considering multiple spatial scales and spatial lags in a Bayesian framework, researchers can explore multiresolution processes, providing more detailed tests of expectations from theoretical models and leading the way to more effective intervention efforts., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: This cross-sectional study evaluates the association between physical intimate partner violence (IPV) and frequencies of drinking and volume consumed in six different contexts among a sample of urban emergency department (ED) patients., Method: We obtained survey data from 1,037 married, cohabiting, or partnered patients (53% female; 50% Hispanic; 29% African American) at a Northern California safety-net hospital. Past-year physical IPV was measured with the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale. We asked patients about frequency of drinking and usual number of drinks consumed at bars, restaurants, homes of friends or relatives, own home, public places such as street corners or parking lots, and community centers or large events. Gender-stratified dose-response models were estimated for frequencies of IPV perpetration and victimization, with adjustment for sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, marijuana use, and spouse/partner problem drinking., Results: None of the women's context-based frequency and volume measures were associated with frequency of IPV victimization. Women's volume of alcohol consumed at home was associated positively with frequency of their IPV perpetration (β = .008, SE = .003, p < .01), and volume consumed in public places was associated negatively with this outcome (β = -.023, SE = .010, p < .05). Among men, none of the context-based frequency and volume measures were associated with frequency of either IPV outcome. Spouse/partner's problem drinking was associated with each gender's IPV victimization, and with IPV perpetration by men., Conclusions: Frequency of drinking and volume consumed in specific contexts do not substantively contribute to frequency of IPV perpetration or victimization in this sample of urban ED patients.

Background: Distinguishing the impacts of neighborhood income and off-premise alcohol outlet density on alcohol use has proven difficult, particularly given the conflation of these measures across neighborhood areas. We explicitly test for differential effects related to individual and area income and outlet densities on alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) by implementing a stratified microecological sample., Methods: The East Bay Neighborhoods Study included a survey of 984 residents of 72 microenvironments within a geographically contiguous 6-city area in California and Systematic social observations of each site. The sites included 18 areas in each of 4 strata (high/low median household income and off-premise outlet density). We assessed 4 outcomes: 28-day drinking frequency, average quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion, 28-day drinking volume, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score. We used zero-inflated negative binomial regression with standard errors adjusted for site clusters to relate drinking measures to individual-level age, race/ethnicity, gender, marital status, education, and income, and neighborhood indicators of site strata, physical disorder, and physical decay. An interaction term was tested representing site-level by individual-level income., Results: Living in a high-income site, regardless of off-premise alcohol outlet density, was associated with more frequent drinking and higher alcohol dependence/problems. Both individual-level income and site-level income were related to greater frequencies of use, but lower income drinkers in high-income areas drank more than comparable drinkers in low-income areas. Study participants living in high-density off-premise alcohol outlet sites drank less frequently but did not differ in terms of either AUDIT scores or heavy drinking from participants living in low-density sites., Conclusions: Using a stratified microecological sampling design, we were able to directly assess statistical associations of off-premise outlet density and neighborhood median household income with patterns of drinking and AUDs. Caution should be used interpreting prior study findings linking off-premise outlet densities to drinking., (© 2020 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

Background: Associations between neighborhood crime and alcohol outlets are often theorized as resulting from poor place management. Barriers and supports to place management have been examined for on-premise (bars, restaurants) but not for off-premise alcohol outlets. Few studies have assessed place management issues across a range of off-premise outlet and neighborhood types, and none have included the perspectives of off-premise outlet managers themselves. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods within an ethnographic approach, we investigated barriers and supports to place management across off-premise outlets in a large urban area., Methods: We unobtrusively assessed outlet operating characteristics including crime prevention strategies at all 403 off-premise outlets in six contiguous California cities; interviewed managers in 40 outlets; and conducted extensive naturalistic observations in 15 of these 40 outlets. We analyzed data for frequencies and thematic content., Results: Small and independently operated off-premise outlets were the most common type of outlet in our study, but demonstrated fewer resources and more challenges to place management compared to large and chain establishments. Security guards were more observed in large and chain outlets. Small and independent outlets were more likely to post signs prohibiting loitering and to enable surveillance of interior spaces. Problems most commonly cited by managers were theft and loitering. Challenges to place management included physical and verbal threats from customers and intoxicated persons, and insufficient law enforcement. Managers evidenced some ability to assert authority over interior, private space, but less so over exterior, public space., Conclusions: Although tasked with maintaining public health and safety, small and independent store managers reported challenges that are seldom acknowledged in policy or research literature. Managers may provide valuable insights on preventing and reducing neighborhood-level problems associated with off-premise alcohol outlets. Local communities should consider enhancing place management resources for managers of small and independent outlets., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts to declare., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Urban emergency departments (ED) provide care to populations with multiple health-related and overlapping risk factors, many of which are associated with intimate partner violence (IPV). We examine the 12-month rate of physical IPV and its association with multiple joint risk factors in an urban ED., Methods: Research assistants surveyed patients regarding IPV exposure, associated risk factors, and other sociodemographic features. The joint occurrence of seven risk factors was measured by a variable scored 0-7 with the following risk factors: depression; adverse childhood experiences; drug use; impulsivity; post-traumatic stress disorder; at-risk drinking; and partner's score on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. The survey (N = 1037) achieved an 87.5% participation rate., Results: About 23% of the sample reported an IPV event in the prior 12 months. Logistic regression showed that IPV risk increased in a stepwise fashion with the number of present risk factors, as follows: one risk factor (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] [3.09]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47-6.50; p<.01); two risk factors (AOR [6.26]; 95% CI, 3.04-12.87; p<.01); three risk factors (AOR = 9.44; 95% CI, 4.44-20.08; p<.001); four to seven risk factors (AOR [18.62]; 95% CI, 9.00-38.52; p<001). Ordered logistic regression showed that IPV severity increased in a similar way, as follows: one risk factor (AOR [3.17]; 95% CI, 1.39-7.20; p<.01); two risk factors (AOR [6.73]; 95% CI, 3.04-14.90; p<.001); three risk factors (AOR [10.36]; 95%CI, 4.52-23.76; p<.001); four to seven risk factors (AOR [20.61]; 95% CI, 9.11-46.64; p<001)., Conclusion: Among patients in an urban ED, IPV likelihood and IPV severity increase with the number of reported risk factors. The best approach to identify IPV and avoid false negatives is, therefore, multi-risk assessment.

Background: We investigated sexual-orientation differences in typologies of self-reported familial and non-familial warmth in childhood (before age 11) and adolescence (ages 11-17); and tested whether warmth explained sexual minority emerging adults' (ages 18-25) heightened odds of having heavier alcohol use trajectories (AUTs) and heightened risk for past-year alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared to completely heterosexuals., Methods: Using self-reported data from the U.S.-based Growing Up Today Study cohort, latent class analyses identified typologies of familial and non-familial warmth during childhood and adolescence. Multivariable regression models tested our objectives., Results: Six warmth classes emerged, including: High-High (i.e., high familial and high non-familial warmth, respectively); High-Moderate; Moderate-Moderate; Moderate-Occasional; Occasional-Occasional; and Low-Low. Among women, sexual minorities had higher odds than completely heterosexuals of being in the Moderate-Moderate, Moderate-Occasional, and Occasional-Occasional versus the High-High warmth class. There were not significant associations between sexual orientation and warmth classes for men. Lower warmth classes were generally associated with greater past-year AUD, and mediated heightened disparities in AUD for sexual minority women versus completely heterosexual women (4.3% mediated), but not among men. Warmth classes were generally unassociated with AUTs, and did not mediate sexual-orientation differences in AUTs., Conclusions: Lower warmth was associated with greater alcohol-related problems, but not alcohol use itself. Warmth explained a small proportion of AUD disparities for sexual minority women-but not for men., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Past research examining the relationship between alcohol use and weight status has not differentiated among classes of obesity. There is limited research investigating whether adults trying to lose weight consume less alcohol., Methods: In 2018-2019, the authors analyzed 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for nonpregnant adults aged ≥20 years with BMI ≥18.5 kg/m 2 . Multinomial and binomial logistic regression and linear regression were used to test associations between (1) past-year alcohol use and current weight status, differentiating among Class 1, 2, and 3 obesity, and (2) past-year weight loss attempt and alcohol use, controlling for potential confounders. Analyses were stratified by sex., Results: Male current drinkers versus nondrinkers had lower odds of Class 3 obesity versus healthy weight (AOR=0.62, 95% CI=0.42, 0.92); female current drinkers versus nondrinkers had lower odds of Class 1 (AOR=0.67, 95% CI=0.50, 0.90), Class 2 (AOR=0.62, 95% CI=0.46, 0.83), and Class 3 (AOR=0.66, 95% CI=0.49, 0.89) obesity versus healthy weight. Among current drinkers, less frequent alcohol use was associated with higher odds of Class 1-3 obesity versus healthy weight in both sexes (p<0.05), whereas higher continued volume (heavier drinking) was associated with higher odds of Class 1-3 obesity versus healthy weight in females (p=0.049). Females reporting a weight loss attempt had higher odds of current drinking and more frequent heavy drinking., Conclusions: Lower frequency of alcohol use (both sexes) and higher continued volume (female adults only) are associated with higher odds of higher weight status. Female adults trying to lose weight drink more, despite guidelines suggesting reducing caloric intake for weight control., (Copyright © 2019 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) provide care to ethnically diverse populations with multiple health-related risk factors, many of which are associated with intimate partner violence (IPV). This paper examines ethnic-specific 12-month rates of physical IPV by severity and their association with drinking and other sociodemographic and personality correlates in an urban ED sample., Methods: Research assistants surveyed patients at an urban ED regarding IPV exposure as well as patterns of alcohol and drug use, psychological distress, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and other sociodemographic features., Results: The survey (N = 1,037) achieved an 87.5% participation rate. About 23% of the sample reported an IPV event in the past 12 months. Rates were higher (p < 0.001) among blacks (34%), whites (31%), and multiethnic (46%) respondents than those among Asians (13%) and Hispanics (15%). Modeled results showed that black respondents were more likely than Hispanics (reference) to report IPV (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.98-2.66, p < 0.05) and that respondents' partner drinking was associated with IPV (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.25-2.73, p < 0.01) but respondents' drinking was not. Use of illicit drugs, younger age, impulsivity, depression, partner problem drinking, ACEs, and food insufficiency were all positively associated with IPV., Conclusions: There was considerable variation in IPV rates across ethnic groups in the sample. The null results for the association between respondents' drinking and IPV was surprising and may stem from the relatively moderate levels of drinking in the sample. Results for ethnicity, showing blacks as more likely than Hispanics to report IPV, support prior literature., (© 2019 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.)

Background: Understanding whether the associations between alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) differ by weight status may be useful in screening for AUD in populations where obesity is common. We aimed to determine whether the associations between alcohol use and AUD differ by weight status., Methods: A total of 24,869 adult participants of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III with a body mass index ≥18.5 kg/m 2 who reported past-year alcohol use were included. The AUD and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule-5 were administered to identify past-year AUD. Logistic regression was used to test the associations between weight status and levels and patterns of alcohol use with AUD; interactions between weight status and alcohol use variables in relation to AUD were examined. Analyses were stratified by gender., Results: For males and females, the odds of AUD were higher with greater frequency of any alcohol use and heavy drinking, higher average quantity of drinks per drinking day, and past-year high-risk drinking. Among males, at the same average quantity of drinks per drinking day, frequency of heavy drinking, or presence of high-risk drinking, those with class 3 obesity had higher odds of AUD versus lower classes or no obesity (p for all interactions <0.01). Among females, at the same frequency of any alcohol use, those with healthy weight had the highest odds of AUD, while females with class 3 obesity had the lowest odds of AUD (p for interaction <0.001); interactions between weight status and other alcohol use variables were not significant (p ≥ 0.05)., Conclusions: The associations between some measures of alcohol use and AUD differed by weight status, with inconsistent results between males and females. Alcohol use thresholds typically used in AUD screening may be too high in males with class 3 obesity., (© 2019 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of potential thresholds of alcohol use for identifying alcohol-related problems in women post-Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB)., Background: Despite evidence that RYGB alters alcohol pharmacokinetics and is associated with an increased risk for alcohol-related problems, the level of alcohol use that should prompt further screening for alcohol-related problems following RYGB is unclear., Methods: The Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 is a prospective cohort study. Before surgery and annually for ≤7 years following surgery, participants completed the 10-item Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), which assesses past-year frequency and quantity of alcohol, frequency of consuming ≥6 drinks, and alcohol-related problems (ie, symptoms of alcohol dependence and/or alcohol-related harm). The AUDIT-Consumption (AUDIT-C) score was determined from the first 3 AUDIT items., Results: Post-RYGB, 835 women reported current drinking at 1 or more annual assessment(s). Compared with higher frequency thresholds, drinking ≥2 times/month had the highest combined sensitivity (85.3%) and specificity (61.4%) for identifying alcohol-related problems. Compared with higher quantity thresholds, drinking ≥3 drinks/drinking day had the highest combined sensitivity (64.2%) and specificity (87.2%). An AUDIT-C score ≥3, versus other thresholds, had the highest combined sensitivity (76.4%) and specificity (81.6%)., Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of these thresholds indicate assessment of alcohol consumption alone may be inadequate for identifying women at risk for alcohol-related problems post-RYGB. Additional screening tools for alcohol-related problems, which assess symptoms of alcohol-related problems, should be conducted in this population.

Background: Survey-based estimates of the prevalence of alcohol abuse, dependence, and disorders in the United States rely upon self-reports of drinking patterns (e.g., binge drinking), social problems (e.g., trouble at work), physiological responses to use (e.g., tolerance), and desistance from use (e.g., withdrawal). Diagnostic criteria derived from these reports enable prevalence estimates of abuse and dependence, but moderating structural relationships among symptom groups may lead some light and moderate drinkers to appear to exhibit an alcohol use disorder (AUD)., Methods: A dynamic model of drinking and problems predicts that symptoms of dependence will moderate relationships between drinking measures and symptoms of abuse. Wave 1 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions data on DSM-IV diagnoses of abuse and dependence were used to test predictions from this model and assess whether moderating effects were observed among lighter and heavier drinkers (those who drink 1 to 3 vs. 4 or more drinks on average). A dose-response model that accounts for other known sources of risk heterogeneity related to drinking and problems enabled us to test these predictions., Results: As expected from previous work, symptoms of abuse and dependence and dependence criteria were nonlinearly related to drinking patterns; more symptom reports appeared and criteria were met among less frequent drinkers who drank more on each occasion and this pattern of dose-response was substantially moderated among heavier drinkers. Controlling for these effects, relationships between drinking and symptoms of abuse were moderated among respondents who met more dependence criteria. These effects were observed among both lighter and heavier drinkers., Conclusions: Moderating relationships observed between measures of drinking, abuse, and dependence criteria among lighter and heavier drinkers suggest that the same etiologic forces are at play among all drinking groups. Greater symptoms of dependence among lighter drinkers may lead to greater reports of symptoms of abuse and an AUD diagnosis., (© 2018 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine whether neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation and alcohol outlet density are associated with hazardous drinking using a co-twin design to control for confounding because of genetic and shared environmental factors., Method: The study sample included cross-sectional data from 1,996 same-sex adult twin pairs (mean age = 36.6; 65.9% female) from the Washington State Twin Registry. The Singh Index was used to characterize neighborhood social deprivation for participants' census tract of residence. Geocoded alcohol outlet data were used to create a measure of census tract alcohol outlet density. The three-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption scale (AUDIT-C) was used to measure the level of hazardous drinking. Poisson mixed-effects models were used to examine associations between neighborhood factors and AUDIT-C score. Covariates included household income, level of education completed, non-White race, sex, and rurality of residence., Results: Accounting for covariates, there was a statistically significant within-pair association between neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation and a higher level of hazardous drinking. There was no within-pair association between the density of alcohol outlets and hazardous drinking. Associations did not differ by zygosity., Conclusions: The socioeconomic conditions of the neighborhood may play an important role in the development of alcohol misuse even after accounting for genetic and shared environmental influences. Twin designs may be a promising complementary approach to investigating the role of neighborhood characteristics on alcohol and substance use. Further research is needed to better understand the ways through which and for whom neighborhood characteristics may influence hazardous drinking.

Objective: Many different measures of alcohol use are applied in survey-based epidemiological studies of alcohol-related risks. Differences in the selection of drinking measures and alternative specifications of quantitative relationships of these measures to problem outcomes limit researchers' abilities to compare and assess alcohol effects across studies. We used a quantitative definition of drinking patterns to identify relationships among drinking measures and uncover sources of bias in assessments of drinking risks., Method: A census of drinking measures from studies published in four leading journals in the first half of 2013 were mapped onto a "drinking patterns table," quantitatively relating each measure to every other. Relationships among these measures and in relation to two problem outcomes, physiological problems and sexual risks, were examined using data from 41,352 undergraduate college student drinkers in California., Results: Twenty-nine sets of drinking measures appeared across 74 published studies; no common statistical procedure was used to assess drinking risks. Empirically observed distributions of heavy drinking (R(2) = .887, p < .001) and variances in drinking quantities (R(2) = .645, p < .001) were predicted from the drinking patterns table. Heteroscedasticity in drinking measures also biased estimates of physiological risks related to drinking quantities (z = -5.159, p < .001), volume (z = 4.592, p < .001), and heavy drinking (z = -5.431, p < .001)., Conclusions: Relationships between drinking measures can be formally identified and related to one another using drinking patterns tables. Biases related to selections of different drinking measures and unobserved heteroscedasticity can be identified and controlled through formal quantitative assessments of relationships between drinking measures and observed outcomes.

Background: Evidence suggests there are important sexual-orientation differences in alcohol consumption, particularly among women. Little is known about where gay/lesbian and bisexual college students drink or differences in drinking patterns derived from graduated frequency measures between heterosexual, gay/lesbian, and bisexual students. The goal of this analysis was to examine patterns of alcohol consumption-including drinking prevalence, quantity, frequency, and contexts of use-by sexual orientation., Methods: Data on sexual identity, gender, drinking behaviors, and drinking contexts were examined from repeated cross-sectional samples of undergraduate students attending 14 public California universities from 2003-2011 (n=58,903). Multivariable statistical techniques were employed to examine sexual-orientation differences stratified by gender., Results: Gay males, lesbians, and bisexual females were significantly more likely to report drinking alcohol in the current semester than their same-gender heterosexual peers (relative risks ranged from 1.07 to 1.10, p-values <0.01). Among current drinkers, bisexual females consumed 7 or more drinks and lesbians consumed 10 or more drinks on significantly more days than heterosexual females. On the other hand, gay male drinkers consumed 8 or more drinks on significantly fewer days than heterosexual male drinkers. Compared to their same-gender heterosexual peers: lesbian/gay and bisexual students drank less frequently at Greek parties (incidence rate ratios [IRRs] ranged from 0.52 to 0.73, p-values <0.01); lesbians (IRR=0.84, p=0.043) and bisexual males (IRR=0.82, p=0.009) drank less frequently at off-campus parties; and gay males drank more frequently outdoors (IRR=1.63, p<0.001) and at bars/restaurants (IRR=1.21, p=0.013)., Conclusions: Alcohol prevention programs and future research should consider sexual-orientation differences in drinking patterns and use of drinking contexts., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Better understanding the contribution of specific drinking contexts to alcohol use and risky sexual behaviors can help target effective prevention programs to specific locations and types of drinkers. We used a sample of college students to investigate whether more frequent and heavier drinking in specific drinking contexts was associated with unplanned sex, unprotected sex, and number of sexual contacts. Greater frequencies of drinking in almost all contexts (Greek parties, off-campus parties, campus events, dorms, and bars) were associated with greater numbers of sexual partners, unplanned sex and unprotected sex; heavier drinking at bars increased risks related to all outcomes. Risks related to frequencies of use of contexts were similar for men and women, but heavier drinking at bars was associated with more unprotected sex among males only. We discuss these observations in light of their implications for developing context-specific interventions to reduce community viral load in high-risk populations.

This study examined drinking patterns of three different college student groups: (a) intercollegiate athletes, (b) intramural/club athletes, and (c) nonathletes. Additionally, we investigated whether a relationship exists between drinking setting and risk of increased drinking. We analyzed data on the athletic involvement, drinking behaviors, and drinking settings of 16,745 undergraduate students. The findings revealed that drinking patterns for intramural/club athletes remained relatively consistent at all quantity levels; however, intercollegiate athletes consumed alcohol in higher quantities. Further, intramural/club athletes drank in almost every drinking setting, whereas intercollegiate athletes were more limited. The drinking patterns and settings suggest a stronger social motivation for drinking among intramural/club athletes than among intercollegiate athletes and point to a need to specify competition level when studying college athletes., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

Alcohol use is a robust predictor of intimate partner violence (IPV). A critical barrier to progress in preventing alcohol-related IPV is that little is known about how an individual's specific drinking contexts (where, how often, and with whom one drinks) are related to IPV, or how these contexts are affected by environmental characteristics, such as alcohol outlet density and neighborhood disadvantage. The putative mechanism is the social environment in which drinking occurs that may promote or strengthen aggressive norms. Once these contexts are known, specific prevention measures can be put in place, including policy-oriented (e.g., regulating outlet density) and individually oriented (e.g., brief interventions to reduce risk for spousal aggression) measures targeting at-risk populations. This paper reviews applicable theories and empirical research evidence that links IPV to drinking contexts and alcohol outlet density, highlights research gaps, and makes recommendations for future research., (© The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.)

Aims: To quantify two specific aspects of drinking in various venues (past-year frequency of drinking in each venue and volume consumed per venue) and assess their relationships with intimate partner violence., Design, Setting and Participants: A geographic sample of married or cohabiting couples residing in 50 medium-to-large cities in California, USA (n = 1585 couples) was obtained. Cross-sectional survey data were collected via confidential telephone interviews., Measurements: Each partner in the couple provided information about past-year male-to-female and female-to-male intimate partner violence (IPV), drinking contexts and psychosocial and demographic factors. Frequency of drinking in six contexts and volume consumed in those contexts were used in censored Tobit models to evaluate associations between IPV and male and female drinking contexts., Findings: Risks for IPV differed among drinking contexts and were sometimes related to heavier volumes consumed. In fully adjusted models, male partners' frequency of drinking at parties at another's home {β [standard error (SE) 0.130 (0.060]; P = 0.030} was associated with risk for male-to-female IPV and frequency of drinking during quiet evenings at home was associated with risk for female-to-male IPV [β (SE) 0.017 (0.008); P = 0.033]. Female partners' frequency of drinking with friends at home [β (SE) -0.080 (0.037); P = 0.030] was associated with decreased male-to-female IPV, but volume consumed was associated with increased risk [β (SE) 0.049 (0.024); P = 0.044]., Conclusions: The social context in which drinking occurs appears to play a role in violence against partners, with male violence being linked to drinking away from home and female violence being linked to drinking at home., (© 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.)

Objective: Groups of potentially violent drinkers may frequent areas of communities with large numbers of alcohol outlets, especially bars, leading to greater rates of alcohol-related assaults. This study assessed direct and moderating effects of bar densities on assaults across neighborhoods., Method: We analyzed longitudinal population data relating alcohol outlet densities (total outlet density, proportion bars/pubs, proportion off-premise outlets) to hospitalizations for assault injuries in California across residential ZIP code areas from 1995 through 2008 (23,213 space-time units). Because few ZIP codes were consistently defined over 14 years and these units are not independent, corrections for unit misalignment and spatial autocorrelation were implemented using Bayesian space-time conditional autoregressive models., Results: Assaults were related to outlet densities in local and surrounding areas, the mix of outlet types, and neighborhood characteristics. The addition of one outlet per square mile was related to a small 0.23% increase in assaults. A 10% greater proportion of bars in a ZIP code was related to 7.5% greater assaults, whereas a 10% greater proportion of bars in surrounding areas was related to 6.2% greater assaults. The impacts of bars were much greater in areas with low incomes and dense populations., Conclusions: The effect of bar density on assault injuries was well supported and positive, and the magnitude of the effect varied by neighborhood characteristics. Posterior distributions from these models enabled the identification of locations most vulnerable to problems related to alcohol outlets.

While much attention has been paid to women's drinking during pregnancy, few studies address a woman's drinking once she has given birth, which presents potential dangers to herself and her child. This time of transition can be extremely stressful, potentially leading to problem drinking. On the other hand, this new role and change in lifestyle may be protective against alcohol use and abuse. We used the California Women's Health Survey (CWHS), a randomized sample of adult women in California, to compare new mothers' drinking behaviors to other women. In order to obtain a large enough sample to observe trends in subpopulations, we combined CWHS data from years 1997-2008 (n = 28,537 women aged 18-48). We used logistic regression to determine the individual-level characteristics that best predicted the outcomes postpartum and to compare new mothers (those with a child in the household <1 year and pregnant in the last 5 years) to other women for any alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking and number of days of alcohol use. New mothers were significantly less likely to engage in all behavior outcomes after adjustment for race/ethnicity, income, employment, education, age, and marital status, though new mothers who are not married and those in higher income brackets were identified as groups at higher risk of drinking. Although new motherhood could prove to be a risk factor for some women, we found that being a new mother is protective against all measures of drinking.

Objective: Couples in which one or both partners is a heavy or problem drinker are at elevated risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), yet little is known about the extent to which each partner's drinking in different contexts (volume consumed per setting in bars, parties, at home, or in public places) increases the likelihood that partner aggression will occur. This study examined associations between the volume consumed in different settings by each partner and the occurrence and frequency of IPV., Method: We obtained a geographic sample of married or cohabiting couples residing in 50 medium to large California cities. Cross-sectional survey data were collected via confidential telephone interviews (60% response rate). Logistic and negative binomial regression analyses were based on 1,585 couples who provided information about past-12-month IPV, drinking contexts (number of times attended, proportion of drinking occasions when attended, average number of drinks), frequency of intoxication, and psychosocial and demographic factors. Drinking context-IPV associations for each partner were adjusted for the other partner's volume for that context and other covariates., Results: Male partner's volume per setting for bars and parks or public places was associated with the occurrence and frequency of male-to-female IPV and female-to-male IPV. Male's volume per setting for quiet evening at home was associated with the occurrence of female-to-male IPV; female partner's volume for this setting was associated with the frequency of male-to-female IPV and female-to-male IPV., Conclusions: Among couples in the general population, each partner's drinking in certain contexts is an independent risk factor for the occurrence and frequency of partner aggression.

Background: Previous research has identified risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) severity, injury, and emergency department (ED) visits. These risk factors have been shown at both the individual level (heavy drinking and other substance use on the part of 1 or both partners) and the neighborhood level (residence in an area characterized by poverty and social disadvantage). Alcohol outlet density has been linked with assaultive violence in community settings, but has not been analyzed in relation to IPV-related ED visits. This study examined the effects of outlet densities on IPV-related ED visits throughout California between July 2005 and December 2008., Methods: Half-yearly counts of ED visits related to IPV (E-code 967.3) were computed for each zip code from patient-level public data sets. Alcohol outlet density measures, calculated separately for bars, off-premise outlets, and restaurants, were derived from California Alcohol Beverage Control records. Census-based neighborhood demographic characteristics previously shown to be related to health disparities and IPV (percent black, percent Hispanic, percentage below 150% of poverty line, percent unemployed) were included in models. This study used Bayesian space-time models that allow longitudinal analysis at the zip code level despite frequent boundary redefinitions. These spatial misalignment models control for spatial variation in geographic unit definitions over time and account for spatial autocorrelation using conditional autoregressive (CAR) priors. The model incorporated data from between 1,686 (2005) and 1,693 (2008) zip codes across California for 7 half-year time periods from 2005 through 2008 (n = 11,836)., Results: Density of bars was positively associated with IPV-related ED visits. Density of off-premise outlets was negatively associated with IPV-related ED visits; this association was weaker and smaller than the bar association. There was no association between density of restaurants and IPV-related ED visits., Conclusions: Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which environmental factors, such as alcohol outlet density, affect IPV behaviors resulting in ED visits., (Copyright © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.)

Neighborhood indicators of social disadvantage, such as poverty and unemployment, are associated with intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite the well-established link between heavy drinking and IPV, few studies have analyzed the contribution of alcohol outlet density to the occurrence of IPV. Greater numbers of alcohol outlets in a community may be a sign of loosened normative constraints against violence, promote problem drinking among at-risk couples, and provide environments where groups of persons at risk for IPV may form and mutually reinforce IPV-related attitudes, norms, and problem behaviors. This study used ecological data to determine if alcohol outlet density (number of bars, restaurants serving alcohol, and off-premise outlets per unit area) is related to rates of IPV-related police calls and IPV-related crime reports in Sacramento, California. Separate analyses for IPV calls and crime reports were conducted using Bayesian space-time models adjusted for area characteristics (poverty rate, unemployment rate, racial/ethnic composition). The results showed that each additional off-premise alcohol outlet is associated with an approximate 4% increase in IPV-related police calls and an approximate 3% increase in IPV-related crime reports. Bars and restaurants were not associated with either outcome. The findings suggest that alcohol outlet density, especially off-premise outlets, appear to be related to IPV events. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which neighborhood factors, such as alcohol outlet density, affect IPV behaviors. Understanding these mechanisms is of public health importance for developing environmental IPV prevention strategies, such as changes in zoning, community action, education, and enforcement activities.