Race/ethnicity may be viewed as a social status category in the U.S., associated with differential resources, opportunities, and treatment (Williams, et al., 1994). It has recently been argued that dual aspects of social disadvantage – disadvantaged economic position and experiences of minority status – are critical to understanding health disparities (Kawachi, et al., 2005). Indeed, racial gaps in health have been found at every level of socioeconomic status (SES), suggesting that factors beyond SES contribute to health status differences (LaVeist, 2005; Williams, 2005). While the deleterious effects of poverty have long been known, the stress of minority status has only recently gained attention through studies of perceived discrimination and its negative impact on health (e.g., see (Jackson, et al., 1996; Williams, et al., 2003)). Research in the alcohol field, though sparse in its attention to discrimination, corroborates these patterns found in the broader public health literature.
