Neighborhoods, cultural factors, and alcohol use disorder: A role for acculturative stress in Mexican American young adults

  • Christina C. Tam Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute
  • Katherine Karriker-Jaffe Center for Health Behavior and Implementation Science, RTI International
  • Libo Li Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute
  • Deidre Patterson Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute
  • Sarah E. Drzarte Center for Health Behavior and Implementation Science, RTI International
  • Derek N. Wills Scripps Research Institute
  • David A. Gilder Scripps Research Institute
  • Cindy L. Ehlers Scripps Research Institute
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.605
Keywords: ethnic density, US-Mexico border, Mexican Americans, acculturative stress, alcohol use disorder

Abstract

Purpose: Trends in heavy drinking among Mexican American young adults are shifting in the United States. Despite elevated risks for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and related problems among Mexican American populations, little work has examined mechanisms contributing to alcohol outcomes in the context of their neighborhood environments. This study examines how neighborhood environment factors (ethnic density and distance to the nearest border port of entry) and cultural factors (acculturative stress and ethnic identity) relate to AUD.

Method: The sample of 575 Mexican American men and women (aged 18 to 30) was recruited from San Diego County, California, USA. We assessed the indirect effects of Mexican American ethnic density and distance to the nearest border port of entry, on AUD through acculturative stress and ethnic identity. Multiple group path analysis was used to test sex differences.

Results: While sex differences were not observed in the overall model, there were differential associations with focal variables for each group. For women, greater proportions of ethnic density and greater distance to the nearest port of entry were both negatively associated with AUD. For both women and men, acculturative stress was positively associated with AUD, and neighborhood environment indicators were not related to acculturative stress nor ethnic identity.

Conclusions: These data may inform further studies to integrate social and cultural mechanisms in creation of place-based strategies for AUD prevention.

Published
2025-09-28
How to Cite
Tam, C. C., Karriker-Jaffe, K., Li, L., Patterson, D., Drzarte, S. E., Wills, D. N., Gilder, D. A., & Ehlers, C. L. (2025). Neighborhoods, cultural factors, and alcohol use disorder: A role for acculturative stress in Mexican American young adults. International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, 13(2), 38–48. https://doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.605
Issue
Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025)
Section
Article

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