This pattern of diminishing disparities at higher levels of heavy drinking was also observed in our comparisons of Hispanic and white drinkers (see Table 3, right hand side). The greatest ethnic gap occurred among those with little or no heavy drinking. Controlling for heavy drinking score and demographics, Hispanics had a threefold greater odds of alcohol-related problems compared to whites (Model 3 AOR=3.67 for social consequences; AOR=3.51 for dependence symptoms). At successively higher levels of heavy drinking, the ethnic differential narrowed so that there were no longer significant differences in risk among the heaviest drinkers (AOR=0.85 for social consequences; AOR=1.06 for dependence symptoms).
