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Assessing Hazardous Drinking and its Demographic Correlates among U.S. Black Young Adults
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Assessing Hazardous Drinking and its Demographic Correlates among U.S. Black Young Adults

Rebeka Moges, Lem Phan, Henri Brignol, Mignonne C Guy, Kymberle L Sterling, Jeff Niederdeppe, Kelvin Choi and Lilianna Phan
Annals of behavioral medicine, v 60(Supplement_1), pp S264-S264
01 Apr 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaag012#page=S264
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https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaag012#page=S264View
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Abstract

Background: Alcohol and tobacco use are leading preventable causes of cancer and heart and lung diseases. Also, while national data have found that Black young adults have lower alcohol use prevalence throughout adulthood than other groups, Black individuals experience greater burden of alcohol-related health harms. Few studies have used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) Scale, a validated screening tool to assess hazardous drinking associated with alcohol-related health harms, among Black young adults susceptible to tobacco use. We assessed alcohol use and demographic correlates to hazardous drinking among Black young adults susceptible to cigarillo smoking. Methods: We used baseline data from a trial testing cigarillo smoking prevention messaging for Black 18-30-year-olds in April-July 2025. This analysis includes those aged ≥21-years-old (n=183). Participants reported their age (coded as continuous), biological sex (coded as male, female), education (≤ high school, some college/GED, ≥ college degree), employment (coded as employed, unemployed), annual household income (coded as <$75,000, ≥ $75,000), and sexual orientation (coded as heterosexual, gay). Using AUDIT-C, participants reported their frequency (coded as never, ≤monthly, >monthly), intensity (coded as 1-2 drinks, ≥3 drinks on a typical drinking day), and binge drinking (≥6 drinks/occasion; coded as no, yes). We then determined hazardous drinking (coded as yes, no), with scores of ≥4 for men and ≥3 for women. We used descriptive statistics to assess alcohol use behaviors and a multivariable binary logistic regression to examine demographic associations with hazardous drinking. Results: One-third drank ≤monthly (31.7%) or >monthly (29.5%). About 75.0% drank 1-2 drinks, whereas 25.1% drank 3-10 drinks on a typical day of drinking. About 35.0% binge drank and 29.5% engaged in hazardous drinking. Black young adult males (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.63, 95% confidence intervals [CI]= 1.23, 5.62) and those with some college/GED (vs. (≤ high school; AOR=2.17, 95% CI= 1.04, 4.50) were more likely to drink hazardously. Discussion: A notable proportion of Black young adults susceptible to cigarillo smoking may also be engaging in harmful alcohol use. Future studies should assess the potential connection between cigar smoking susceptibility and alcohol use for public health strategies and potentially maximize the impact of multiple behavior prevention interventions.

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