Expectancies for driving under the influence of alcohol among Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites

The effectiveness of brief intervention among injured patients with alcohol dependence: who benefits from brief interventions?

BACKGROUND

Research investigating the differential effectiveness of Brief Motivational Interventions (BMIs) among alcohol-dependent and non-dependent patients in the medical setting is limited. Clinical guidelines suggest that BMI is most appropriate for patients with less severe alcohol problems. As a result, most studies evaluating the effectiveness of BMI have excluded patients with an indication of alcohol dependence.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial of brief intervention in the trauma care setting comparing BMI to treatment as usual plus assessment (TAU+) was conducted. Alcohol dependence status was determined for 1336 patients using DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. The differential effectiveness of BMI among alcohol-dependent and non-dependent patients was determined with regard to volume per week, maximum amount consumed, percent days abstinent, alcohol problems at 6 and 12 months follow-up. In addition, the effect of BMI on dependence status at 6 and 12 months was determined.

RESULTS

There was a consistent interaction between BMI and alcohol dependence status, which indicated significantly higher reductions in volume per week at 6 and 12 months follow-up (beta=-.56, p=.03, beta=-.63, p=.02, respectively), maximum amount at 6 months (beta=-.31, p=.04), and significant decreases in percent days abstinent at 12 months (beta=.11, p=.007) and alcohol problems at 12 months (beta=-2.7, p(12)=.04) among patients with alcohol dependence receiving BMI. In addition, patients with alcohol dependence at baseline that received BMI were .59 (95% CI=.39-.91) times less likely to meet criteria for alcohol dependence at six months.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that BMI is more beneficial among patients with alcohol dependence who screen positive for an alcohol-related injury.

The Hispanic Americans Baseline Alcohol Survey (HABLAS): Rates and predictors of DUI across Hispanic national groups

This paper examines rates of self-reported driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and 12-month and lifetime DUI arrest rates among Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans and South/Central Americans in the U.S. population. Using a multistage cluster sample design, a total of 5224 individuals 18 years of age and older were selected from the household population in five metropolitan areas of the U.S.: Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Houston and Los Angeles. The survey weighted response rate was 76%. Among men, 21% of Mexican Americans, 19.9% of South/Central Americans, 11.6% of Puerto Ricans and 6.9% of Cuban Americans reported DUI. Rates were lower among women, ranging from 9.7% for Mexican Americans to 1.3% for Cuban Americans. Mexican American men had the highest 12-month arrest rate (1.6%) and the highest lifetime arrest rate (11.2%). Drinkers who reported DUI were heavier drinkers than those not reporting DUI according to a variety of indicators. However, most DUI incidents involved non-alcohol-dependent drivers. Mexican Americans and South Central/Americans, men, younger drivers, those with less than high school education, those with higher income and higher alcohol consumption were more likely to report DUI and DUI arrests. These findings show that Hispanic national groups in the U.S. are diverse regarding drinking and DUI-related experiences.

Differential perceptions of drinkers of alcoholic beverages by Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites

Random samples of 534 Mexican-Americans and 616 non-Hispanic Whites were interviewed over the telephone in San José, California and in San Antonio, Texas. Mexican-Americans tended to favor most frequently negative traits for their perceptions of drinkers than non-Hispanic Whites. Excessive drinkers were perceived most frequently in generally negative fashion by members of both ethnic groups although they were also perceived as happy persons. Highly acculturated Mexican-Americans reported perceptions of drinkers and of excessive drinkers that differed from those held by the less acculturated Mexican-Americans and that resembled those held by the non-Hispanic White respondents.