Chunk #44 — Explanations for Greater Negative Social Consequences of Alcohol Use among African Americans Compared to European Americans — Environmental Influences — Racial discrimination
However, not all studies have found a positive association between alcohol use and discrimination. For example, Borrell and colleagues (2007) found no relationship between drinking and self-reported experiences of discrimination among young African American adults. The authors found that African Americans were more likely to report multiple indications of extreme disadvantage than European Americans, but current drinking status and at-risk drinking were unrelated to that disadvantage. Broman (2007) found that although African American college students reported perceiving themselves as more exposed to discriminatory experiences than their European American peers, they were no more likely to engage in drinking behaviors in response to experiencing discrimination. Similarly, Kwate and colleagues (2003) found that among African American women, those who experienced less racism were more likely to be drinkers. The authors speculated that it may be the case that those individuals who have more individual experiences with racism may be more vigilant in avoiding substances that are readily connected to the negative stereotypes attributed to African Americans. Discrepancies in findings concerning the influence of racial discrimination on drinking among African Americans may also
