Social networks and alcohol consumption among first generation Chinese and Korean immigrants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area

  • C. Richard Hofstetter San Diego State University
  • John D. Clapp Ohio State University
  • Jon-Patrick Allem University of Southern California
  • Suzanne C. Hughes San Diego State University
  • Yawen Li San Diego State University
  • Veronica Irvin National Institutes of Health
  • Alan J. Daly University of California
  • Sunny Kang San Diego State University
  • Melbourne F. Hovell San Diego State University
Keywords: Alcohol Behavior, Social Networks, Network Reinforcers, Immigrants, Chinese, Koreans

Abstract

Hofstetter, C., Clapp, J., Allem, J., Hughes, S., Li, Y., Irvin, V., Daly, A., Kang, S., & Hovell, M. (2014). Social networks and alcohol consumption among first generation Chinese and Korean immigrants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3(4), 245-255. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i4.188

Aims: To test hypotheses involving mechanisms of reinforcement of alcohol behaviors operating in social networks.


Design: Telephone interviews conducted by professional interviewers in Mandarin or Korean or English with first generation Chinese (from Mainland or Taiwan) and Korean immigrants residing using a dual frame stratified sampling design. Combined probability and non-probability approaches for sampling due to the widespread use of cell phones. Interviews were conducted in language of preferences with over 95% of interviews in Korean or Mandarin.


Setting: Residents of three counties with the largest proportions of eligible residents (Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino) were included.


Participants: Adult residents (21 and over) stratified by gender who could be reached by telephone constituted the sample.


Measures: Measures included frequency/amount alcohol consumption drawn from NIAAA standard, a “relax, socialize, have fun with” name generator was used to identify alters. Reinforcers within networks were measured by participant reports of amount of alter drinking, drunkenness, and encouragement to drink, acculturation, and demographic variables were measured by self report.


Findings: Using a random effects approach and controlling for other variables, including drinking in the network, acculturation, Korean/Chinese origin, and demographics, source of immigration, network context, as was and sampling frame, encouragement to drink in the network was related to drinking (P<.05).


Conclusions: Studies of social networks in relation to health behaviors should include measures of actions within networks, especially reinforcers of behaviors, in order to understand the functioning and consequences of networks.

Author Biographies

C. Richard Hofstetter, San Diego State University

Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, and Department of Political Science, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States

John D. Clapp, Ohio State University

College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States

Jon-Patrick Allem, University of Southern California

University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Suzanne C. Hughes, San Diego State University

Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States

Yawen Li, San Diego State University

School of Social Work, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States

Veronica Irvin, National Institutes of Health

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Clinical Center and Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States

Alan J. Daly, University of California

Department of Education Studies. University of California, San Diego. La Jolla CA, United States

Sunny Kang, San Diego State University

Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States

Melbourne F. Hovell, San Diego State University

Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, and Department of Political Science, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States

Published
2014-12-11
How to Cite
Hofstetter, C. R., Clapp, J. D., Allem, J.-P., Hughes, S. C., Li, Y., Irvin, V., Daly, A. J., Kang, S., & Hovell, M. F. (2014). Social networks and alcohol consumption among first generation Chinese and Korean immigrants in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 3(4), 245-255. https://doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i4.188
Section
Papers