Acculturation Stress and the Rise in Alcohol Use Among Latina Women in the U.S.

Background: Epidemiological surveys and world status reports consistently indicate the gap between alcohol consumption in men and women in the United States has been closing steadily over the past 25 years. Particularly, more women now than ever are engaging in alcohol-related risk behavior such as binge drinking, catching up to those of their male counterparts. Data from national surveys conducted between 2000 and 2016 suggests that the number of people above 18 who drink each year increased for women but decreased for men. This trend is consistent amongst Latina women. College-aged, American Latinas in are drinking more frequently and more in quantity at an increasing rate as opposed to American Latinos. There is prolific and extensive research investigating the reasons for higher rates of alcohol consumption and problematic drinking amongst Latina women in the US. Most commonly, this research addresses the socioeconomic and psychological effects of acculturation into U.S. culture. Methods: This study hypothesized that being more acculturated increases alcohol risk behavior and drinking in Latina women due to stressors such as language barriers, social isolation, career difficulties, and separation from family. A literature review was conducted of studies (conducted from 2007-2021) found on PubMed, Google Scholar, and the HOLLIS Harvard Library Catalog using the search terms “Latino, “alcohol use”, and “acculturation”. These studies directly measured the relationship between acculturation of Latinos and alcohol consumption habits. The differences between male and female acculturation were then analyzed, highlighting how acculturation may impact female alcohol consumption. Acculturation, here is measured by surveys including the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans (ARSMA) and the Bi-dimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics, utilizing the proxies of English/Spanish proficiency and place of birth. Results: Our review revealed that high acculturation scores are more strongly related to increased drinking in Latino women than men. A national sample found that Latinas in the top tercile of acculturation are almost 6 times more likely to drink than Latinas in the bottom tercile. The studies labeled such drinking as a coping mechanism for previously mentioned acculturation stressors of academics and career matters. However, they also described the behavior as a sign of adjustment to new cultural norms and discovery. The discouragement of health-risk behavior such as excessive drinking in women is prevalent in Latino communities, where gender expectations stress female temperance and self-control. Young environment such as a bustling American college where drinking is normalized can cause these women to experiment and risk-take more frequently. Conclusions: The results of our review indicate that acculturation stress is related to increased alcohol use among young Latinas. Further research should aim at developing a comprehensive understanding of these stressors within the context of acculturation, as well as within the broader context of sociocultural and gender norm differences. This perspective is particularly relevant for studies focused on the Rio Grande Valley, a unique area in terms of acculturation and Latino/American cultural mixing. Future research should aim to develop targeted preventative interventions that address these nuanced factors to effectively reduce alcohol-related risk behaviors in this population.