Community-identified alcohol issues in the Mexican American community: research design and utilization

This article describes a community-based study, Alcohol Outlet Density and Mexican American Youth Violence, funded by the California Wellness Foundation--Violence Prevention Initiative to the prevention Research Center in Berkeley, California. The study was conducted in three northern California cities in 1993-1996. The focus is on the inclusionary planning process in designing and implementing the study. Community members were an integral part in the identification of study questions. As a result, the findings of the study are relevant to community activists in advocating alcohol-related policies. The need for more utilization-based community studies is emphasized.