At the neighborhood level, co-ethnic density may be a protective factor or a risk factor, depending on the specific racial/ethnic group in question. A higher density of African Americans may be a risk factor contributing to heavy drinking80, but a higher density of Latinos/Hispanics may be a protective factor81. In addition to the social context, physical drinking contexts may contribute to heavy drinking, perhaps through influences on perceptions about behaviors that are normative in that setting. As examples, drinking at bars and parties may encourage drinkers to drink more heavily or more quickly than they might do during a quiet evening at home. Compared to Whites, Latinos/Hispanics and Blacks tend to drink in public more frequently and to consume higher volumes in these settings82. It may be useful to assess contexts where people drink to supplement information on social norms about drinking for G–E studies.
