In the United States, 20% of the population consumes 80% of alcohol. This figure indicates that a small percentage of the U.S. population consumes a lot of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is more in low-income groups, women, older adults, minorities, and less educated groups. The rise in alcohol consumption among these groups may be associated with different factors. For instance, among the women,
The rise is a result of the stress of balancing life and work (Walton, 2017). Studies indicate that more the number of women consuming alcohol is higher than among men.
Stress associated with career pursuit and raising a family can lead to high consumption of alcohol among women. For the minorities, older adults, low-income and less educated groups, increased drinking is also associated with the stress of a different type (Walton, 2017).
A study found out that alcohol consumption is higher among minorities than white Americans (Domonoske, 2017). Researchers suggest that wealth inequality in the United States widened in 2008 after the great recession and this might have increased alcohol consumption between these two groups. Non-white Americans still face employment, health, housing, and educational disparities, hence explaining the rise in alcohol consumption.
This statistic should change the way we should view alcohol problems in the United States.
Many people may assume that the rise in alcohol consumption is associated with addiction. However, such a rise should not be viewed from that perspective, but the factors associated with the increased risk of alcohol dependence.