When evaluating these results, it is important to bear in mind the study’s limitations. Studies have shown that long-term and neighborhood-level poverty are important predictors of heavy drinking and alcohol problems (Boardman, et al., 2001; Mossakowski, in press). Given that low-income minorities are more likely to live in poorer neighborhoods than low-income whites (Jargowsky, 2003), and to experience longer durations of poverty (Cellini, et al., 2008), our small effects for poverty might reflect the lack of data on these important variables. Our findings for poverty and unfair treatment, discussed above, should therefore not be interpreted as conclusive. Additional research is warranted using more comprehensive and specific measures of poverty and racial discrimination.
