Many studies suggest that social norms and attitudes about drinking have fairly uniform associations with alcohol use and problems across gender and race/ethnicity73,74. When considering racial/ethnic minority groups, additional norm-related cultural elements may be relevant as environmental modifiers of genetic risk. Among Asian Americans, ethnic drinking culture tied to the country of origin, measured by per capita alcohol consumption, is associated with heavy drinking and drunkenness for certain subgroups such as Korean and Japanese adolescents and adults75. Acculturation and birthplace also are predictors of heavy drinking and alcohol problems among some Latino/Hispanic76 (particularly women) and Asian77 subgroups living in the U.S. Among African Americans, elements of ethnic identity, or the affiliation and identification with people of common ancestry, language and religion in different social and civic contexts, also are associated with religiosity, drinking norms and alcohol consumption78. Protective effects on AUD of ethnic and cultural identity (or enculturation) also have been documented for some American Indian groups79.
