Alcohol Abuse,Prevention Issues,and The Black Community

Abstract

Alcohol abuse and its related difficulties present major concerns for public health professionals. It has been associated with both increased morbidity and premature mortality. Although alcohol abuse is a problem of great magnitude for society in general, minority communities experience its overall negative impact more severely than do other groups. Furthermore, the rate ofproblematic drinking among members of the lower socioeconomic status group has been estimated to be almost three times higher than that of the general adult U.S. population. This is particularly disturbing given thefact that a disproportionate number of minority people are classified within lower SES groupings. The lack of an adequate conceptualization of a public health strategy contributes significantly to the problems of alcohol abuse prevention in the Black community. Priority must be given to national policies that foster the development and delivery of primary prevention services targeted for minority populations.