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Population change and public drinking in three rural communities
The International Journal of Social Psychiatry
|January 1, 1983
Summary
This study found that population loss, not growth, correlated with higher public drinking rates in rural bars. Further research is needed to understand population change impacts on community mental health.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Public Health
- Alcohol Studies
Background:
- Studies on public drinking behavior and its relation to community changes are infrequent.
- Existing research often focuses on bar sociology or laboratory settings rather than in-vivo community influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between community population changes and public drinking behavior in rural bar settings.
- To test the hypothesis that rapid population increase is associated with higher barroom occupancy and alcohol consumption.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of barroom occupancy rates and observed alcohol consumption in three rural communities.
- In-vivo observation of public drinking behavior.
Main Results:
- The hypothesis that population increase drives higher bar occupancy and consumption was not supported.
- Higher levels of public drinking were observed in communities experiencing population loss.
Conclusions:
- Generalizations about the negative effects of population growth on communities should be made cautiously.
- Additional research is required to clarify the precise relationship between rapid population change and community mental health, particularly concerning public drinking patterns.