Seasonal variation in self-reports of recent alcohol consumption: racial and ethnic differences

This study considered whether monthly variation in self-reports of recent alcohol consumption differs systematically by race.

Telephone survey data collected by the Centers for Disease Control's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were used to measure self-reports of drinking and heavy episodic drinking in the 30 days before the interview. The sample (N = 1,087,813) comprises adults over the years 1985-2000. Monthly variation in self-reports of any drinking and heavy episodic use were evaluatedusing logistic regression, controlling for demographic characteristics, year effects and state clustering.

The previously documented "January effect" in past month alcohol consumption--that people interviewed in January are much more likely to report drinking behavior relative to the overall odds--is found to exist for every racial group. Seasonal variation in reports of heavy episodic use, however, differs substantially by race. Black and white respondents are more likely to report this behavior when interviewed in January, whereas the associated peak for Hispanic men is in June. Asians reveal no significantly different heavy episodic drinking behavior in any month relative to the overall odds. Cultural specific factors may contribute to this racial variation in heavy episodic drinking behavior.

Demographic characteristics, such as race and ethnicity are important determinants of seasonal variation in self-reports of recent alcohol consumption and should be taken into account by researchers and policymakers.