Religion and Alcohol Use Among African‐American and Hispanic Inner‐City Emergency Care Patients

This study examines the impact of religious factors on alcohol consumption prior to seeking emergency care and on alcohol abuse in a random sample of inner‐city Hispanic and African‐American emergency care patients. A random sample of patients 18 years and older was drawn from a large inner‐city hospital. Respondents who reported having consumed alcohol six hours prior to emergency admission were compared with other patients on a variety of demographic and religious indicators. Logistic regression models predicting consumption prior to admission and abstinence were estimated, along with Heckman's selection models of alcohol abuse. Religious participation has a significant negative impact on the odds of having alcohol six hours prior to seeking emergency care, and increases the odds of abstaining from alcohol. Religious coping styles, personal religiosity, and spirituality have no impact on indicators of alcohol consumption or abuse.