Social network perspective on alcohol consumption among African American women: a longitudinal analysis

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine alcohol use in African American women’s social networks. Design: This was a longitudinal study of African American women and their social networks in Baltimore, MD. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews at a community-based research clinic. Alcohol consumption frequency was assessed by a single question ‘How often do you drink alcohol?’ with a four-point ordinal rating scale ‘never,’ ‘monthly or less,’ ‘2–4 times a month’ and ‘>2 times a week.’ A longitudinal ordinal logistic model was conducted to use 317 African American women’s alcohol consumption frequency as a predictor of their social networks’ alcohol consumption frequency. Results: Results show that African American women’s alcohol consumption frequency was a statistically significant predictor of their social network members’ alcohol consumption frequency. Conclusion: Findings suggest the merit of social network-based approaches to address alcohol use among urban minority populations.