Neighborhood Ethnic Composition and Problem Drinking Among Older Mexican American Men: Results from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly

Protective effects of ethnic enclaves: Testing pathways to alcohol use and use disorders in Mexican American young adults

Ethnic enclave residence is associated with decreased risk for drinking and related problems, but less is known about the mechanisms that explain this association. Informed by theories of social control, we used a multilevel framework to examine whether negative attitudes toward drinking mediated associations between ethnic enclave residence (i.e., neighborhood linguistic isolation) and alcohol outcomes among Mexican American young adults (N = 628) in Southern California. Model 1 assessed mediation effects in the pathways from linguistic isolation to current drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Model 2 adjusted for parental drinking attitudes and neighborhood alcohol availability. There were differential associations by gender in direct effects of linguistic isolation and negative drinking attitudes on both drinking and AUD. Among women only, linguistic isolation was related to greater abstinence and decreased AUD after accounting for social control proxies of parent attitudes and alcohol availability. Young adults' own drinking attitudes did not mediate relationships between linguistic isolation and alcohol outcomes. This study offers evidence on the importance of disaggregating Hispanic national groups by gender to uncover social mechanisms within ethnic enclave settings for tailored supports in reducing risk of drinking and alcohol-related harms.

Social Inequalities in Multiple Chronic Disease Risk Factors among a population-based Sample of Latinas in California

Data from 1,248 Latina mothers who participated in the Geographic Research on Wellbeing (GROW) study were used to examine associations between SES, neighborhood-level Latinx concentration, neighborhood-level poverty and having two or more modifiable behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking, drinking) for chronic disease. Logistic regression models were estimated stratified by nativity and adjusted for age and marital status. Among immigrants, low SES was associated with higher odds of multiple risk factors (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.66, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.17-2.38). Among US-born women, low neighborhood-level Latinx concentration was associated with lower odds of multiple risk factors (AOR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.22-0.84), and high neighborhood-level poverty (AOR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.61-4.99) and low SES (AOR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.02-2.92) were associated with higher odds, respectively. Heterogeneous effects between nativity and social factors may produce risk for chronic disease among Latinas.

Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Processes and Dynamics and Healthy Ageing: A Scoping Review

Elderly citizens are concentrated in urban areas and are particularly affected by the immediate residential environment. Cities are unequal and segregated places, where there is an intensification of urban change processes such as gentrification and displacement. We aimed to understand how neighbourhood socioeconomic processes and dynamics influence older people’s health. Three bibliographic databases—PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus—were used to identify evidence of the influence of neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation, socio-spatial segregation, urban renewal, and gentrification on healthy ageing. We followed the method of Arksey and O’Malley, Levac and colleagues, the Joanna Briggs Institute, and the PRISMA-ScR. The included studies (n = 122) were published between 2001 and 2021. Most evaluated neighbourhood deprivation (n = 114), followed by gentrification (n = 5), segregation (n = 2), and urban renewal (n = 1). Overall, older people living in deprived neighbourhoods had worse healthy ageing outcomes than their counterparts living in more advantaged neighbourhoods. Older adults pointed out more negative comments than positive ones for gentrification and urban renewal. As to segregation, the direction of the association was not entirely clear. In conclusion, the literature has not extensively analysed the effects of segregation, gentrification, and urban renewal on healthy ageing, and more quantitative and longitudinal studies should be conducted to draw better inferences.

Neighborhood Contexts and Alcohol Use Disorder Among Mexican Americans Living in the US-Mexico Border Region

AIMS

This study assessed contributions of exposure to neighborhood stressors (violent victimization, witnessing crime, greater alcohol and drug availability) to variation in alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms among drinkers in three cities in Texas, USA.

METHODS

We used data from interviews conducted from 2011 to 2013 with Mexican-origin adults (ages 16-65) in the US-Mexico Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions who were past-year drinkers (N = 1960; 55% male) living in two cities in the Texas-Mexico border region (Laredo, n = 751 and Brownsville/McAllen, n = 814) and one interior comparison site (San Antonio, n = 771). Analyses (conducted in 2018 and 2019) examined overall and gender-stratified multilevel mediated effects of each border site (versus San Antonio) on AUD symptoms through the neighborhood-level factors, adjusting for individual- and neighborhood-level covariates.

RESULTS

Overall, drinkers in Laredo reported more AUD symptoms than drinkers in the other cities, and their neighborhoods had more witnessing of crime and greater perceived drug availability, as well as higher levels of disadvantage and a lower proportion non-Hispanic White residents, than neighborhoods in San Antonio. Witnessing neighborhood crime was associated with increased AUD symptoms, while neighborhood disadvantage and proportion non-Hispanic White residents each were negatively associated with AUD symptoms. Perceived neighborhood insecurity, crime victimization, perceived neighborhood drug availability and neighborhood alcohol availability (off- and on-premise) were not significantly associated with AUD symptoms. Stratified models suggested possible gender differences in indirect effects through witnessing neighborhood crime.

CONCLUSION

Reducing witnessing of neighborhood crime may help reduce AUD symptoms among adults living in the US border region.

Associations of Objective and Perceived Neighborhood Ethnic Density on Hazardous Alcohol Use among Latinx Emerging Adults

Background/Purpose: Emerging adulthood is an important time where substance use often peaks. Neighborhood Latinx ethnic density could be protective against negative health behaviors. Most studies on neighborhood ethnic density have focused on census-level aggregate measures, however perception of the neighborhood ethnic density could differ from objectively measured neighborhood density. This study investigated the effects of neighborhood ethnic density, both perceived ethnic and objectively measured ethnic density, on hazardous alcohol use among Latinx emerging adults in Maricopa County Arizona and Miami-Dade County Florida by gender. Methods: 200 Latinx emerging adults residing in Arizona and Florida completed a cross-sectional survey. Inclusion criteria were being age 18-25, self-identify as Latinx, and currently living in Maricopa County or Miami-Dade County. Data were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression and moderation analyses. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between perceived and objective ethnic density (Kappa = 0.353, p < 0.001). When ethnic density was measured objectively, alcohol use severity was statistically significantly lower for individuals living in highly ethnically dense neighborhoods (OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.92). However, this association was only found for women in moderation analyses. There was no statistically significant association between perceived ethnic density and alcohol use severity. Conclusion: The present study found a statistically significant decrease in alcohol use severity among Latinx emerging adults who live in highly ethnically dense neighborhoods after adjusting for covariates. Future research should investigate the potential mechanisms in which these neighborhoods protect against alcohol use severity among Latinx emerging adults.

Relationship Between Hispanic Nativity, Residential Environment, and Productive Activity Among Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury: A TBI Model Systems Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the influence of nativity and residential characteristics on productive activity among Hispanics at 1 year after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

SETTING

Acute rehabilitation facilities and community follow-up.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 706 Hispanic individuals in the TBI Model Systems National Database.

DESIGN

Secondary data analysis from a multicenter longitudinal cohort study.

MAIN MEASURES

Nativity (foreign born or US native), productive activity derived from interview questions regarding employment status, and other demographic information. Census data were extracted by zip code to represent residential characteristics of aggregate household income and proportion of foreign language speakers (FLS).

RESULTS

Among foreign-born individuals with TBI, those living in an area with a higher proportion of FLS were 2.8 times more likely to be productive than those living in areas with a lower proportion of FLS. Among individuals living in an area with a lower proportion of FLS, US-born Hispanics were 2.7 times more likely to be productive compared with Hispanic immigrants.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between nativity and productive activity at 1 year post-TBI was moderated by the residential proportion of FLS. Findings underscore the importance of considering environmental factors when designing vocational rehabilitation interventions for Hispanics after TBI.

Drinking, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Treatment Access and Utilization Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Groups

Data from approximately 140 articles and reports published since 2000 on drinking, alcohol use disorder (AUD), correlates of drinking and AUD, and treatment needs, access, and utilization were critically examined and summarized. Epidemiological evidence demonstrates alcohol-related disparities across U.S. racial/ethnic groups. American Indians/Alaska Natives generally drink more and are disproportionately affected by alcohol problems, having some of the highest rates for AUD. In contrast, Asian Americans are less affected. Differences across Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics are more nuanced. The diversity in drinking and problem rates that is observed across groups also exists within groups, particularly among Hispanics, Asian Americans, and American Indians/Alaska Natives. Research findings also suggest that acculturation to the United States and nativity affect drinking. Recent studies on ethnic drinking cultures uncover the possible influence that native countries' cultural norms around consumption still have on immigrants' alcohol use. The reasons for racial/ethnic disparities in drinking and AUD are complex and are associated with historically rooted patterns of racial discrimination and persistent socioeconomic disadvantage. This disadvantage is present at both individual and environmental levels. Finally, these data indicate that admission to alcohol treatment is also complex and is dependent on the presence and severity of alcohol problems but also on a variety of other factors. These include individuals' sociodemographic characteristics, the availability of appropriate services, factors that may trigger coercion into treatment by family, friends, employers, and the legal system, and the overall organization of the treatment system. More research is needed to understand facilitators and barriers to treatment to improve access to services and support. Additional directions for future research are discussed.

Association between Self-Rated Health and the Ethnic Composition of the Residential Environment of Six Ethnic Groups in Amsterdam

Background: Studies on the association between health and neighborhood ethnic composition yielded inconsistent results, possibly due to methodological limitations. We assessed these associations at different spatial scales and for different measures of ethnic composition. Methods: We obtained health survey data of 4673 respondents of Dutch, Surinamese, Moroccan, Turkish other non-Western and other Western origin. Neighborhood ethnic composition was measured for buffers varying from 50–1000 m. Associations with self-rated health were measured using logistic multilevel regression analysis, with control for socioeconomic position at the individual and area level. Results: Overall ethnic heterogeneity was not related to health for any ethnic group. The presence of other Surinamese was associated with poor self-rated health among Surinamese respondents. The presence of Moroccans or Turks was associated with poor health among some groups. The presence of Dutch was associated with better self-rated health among Surinamese and Turks. In most cases, these associations were stronger at lower spatial scales. We found no other associations. Conclusions: In Amsterdam, self-rated health was not associated with ethnic heterogeneity in general, but may be related to the presence of specific ethnic groups. Policies regarding social and ethnic mixing should pay special attention to the co-residence of groups with problematic interrelations.