Abstract
AIMS: To analyze racial/ethnic disparities in risk of two alcohol-related events, alcohol-related injury and self-reported perceived driving under the influence (DUI) from hours of exposure to an elevated blood alcohol concentration (BAC). METHODS: Risk curves for the predicted probability of these two outcomes from the number of hours of exposure to a BAC ≥ 0.08 mg% in the past year were analyzed separately for whites, blacks and Hispanics in a merged sample of respondents from four US National Alcohol Surveys (2000-2015). RESULTS: Hours of exposure to a BAC ≥ 0.08 showed a stronger association with perceived DUI than with alcohol-related injury for all racial/ethnic groups. Greater risk was found for whites than blacks or Hispanics for outcomes at nearly all BAC exposure levels, and most marked at the highest level of exposure. Risk of both outcomes was significant for whites at all exposure levels, but small for alcohol-related injury. Little association was found for alcohol-related injury for blacks or Hispanics. For perceived DUI, risk for blacks was significantly elevated at lower levels of exposure, while risk for Hispanics was significantly elevated beginning at 30 h of exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Findings showed racial/ethnic differences in risk of alcohol-related injury and perceived DUI from hours of exposure to elevated BAC. Risk increased at relatively low levels of exposure to a BAC ≥ 0.08, especially for whites, highlighting the importance of preventive efforts to reduce harmful outcomes for moderate drinkers.