Chunk #49 — Explanations for Greater Negative Social Consequences of Alcohol Use among African Americans Compared to European Americans — Alcohol Preference and Content
Two factors that must be considered when exploring the higher rate of negative consequences among African Americans are differences in the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and the accuracy of one’s self report of the amount of alcohol consumed. African Americans have been identified as one of the biggest consumers of malt liquor (Miller Brewing Company, 2001). Compared to lager beer, malt liquor is less expensive, has a higher alcohol content, is typically sold in larger containers (i.e., 40 oz versus 12 oz), and is packaged so that it cannot be resealed, providing a strong message to consume the beverage in one sitting (Bradizza, Collins, Vincent, & Falco, 2006; Chen & Paschall, 2003). Moreover, malt liquor is readily available and heavily marketed in low-income African American neighborhoods (Bradizza et al., 2006; Duncan et al., 2002; Herd, 2000; Jones-Webb et al., 1997a).
