CHANGES IN DRINKING PATTERNS AMONG WHITES, BLACKS AND HISPANICS, 1984-1992

Objective: This article reports a longitudinal study of drinking patte rns among whites, blacks and Hispanics between 1984 and 1992. Method: A probability sample including 1,777 whites, 1,947 blacks and 1,453 Hi spanics in the U.S. adult household population was interviewed in 1984 . In 1992 a subsample consisting of 788 whites, 723 blacks and 703 His panics was reinterviewed. Interviews averaging 1 hour in length were c onducted in respondents' home by trained interviewers. Results: Absten tion increased in all groups with the exception of Hispanic women, amo ng whom it remained stable. Heavy drinking decreased only among white men (from 19% to 12%). Among men, the incidence of heavy drinking was 7% among whites, 10% among blacks and 17% among Hispanics. The stabili ty of heavy drinking was greater among black (51%) and Hispanic men (4 3%) than among white men (32%). The best predictor of drinking in 1992 was drinking in 1984. Conclusions: Reductions in heavy drinking obser ved among whites were not observed among blacks and Hispanics. The gre ater stability of heavy drinking in the minority groups helps to expla in higher rates of problems reported in the literature for these two g roups. Prevention efforts targeting drinking and heavy drinking among blacks and Hispanics must be renewed and intensified.