Table 1.

Prevalence of alcohol abuse in the US-born and foreign-born, by nativity and racial-ethnic origin: NESARC 2001–2002

	Clinical alcohol abuse/ dependencea(% ± SE in %)	Excessive drinkingb (% ± SE in %)	Intoxicationc (% ± SE in %)
All
US-born	6.11 ± 0.22	11.26 ± 0.29	4.86 ± 0.17
Foreign-born	3.99 ± 0.50***	6.39 ± 0.67***	2.93 ± 0.41***
African
US-born	4.20 ± 0.26	6.57 ± 0.37	3.62 ± 0.29
Foreign-born	1.27 ± 0.58***	2.62 ± 0.74***	1.54 ± 0.60**
European
US-born	6.46 ± 0.24	12.37 ± 0.33	5.50 ± 0.19
Foreign-born	6.02 ± 1.03	8.45 ± 1.28**	3.84 ± 0.72**
Asian/Pacific Islander
US-born	6.75 ± 1.26	12.30 ± 1.55	3.70 ± 0.73
Foreign-born	1.65 ± 0.33***	2.61 ± 0.43***	1.45 ± 0.28**
Mexican
US-born	6.38 ± 0.69	12.50 ± 1.09	3.97 ± 0.45
Foreign-born	2.58 ± 0.45***	7.93 ± 0.77***	2.01 ± 0.32***
Puerto Rican
US-born	4.86 ± 1.02	7.37 ± 1.18	3.09 ± 0.78
Foreign-born	4.62 ± 1.54	11.33 ± 2.06	5.04 ± 2.06
Other Hispanic/Latino
US-born	6.58 ± 1.31	8.91 ± 1.85	2.74 ± 0.84
Foreign-born	1.96 ± 0.41***	4.62 ± 0.49*	2.04 ± 0.50

All analyses used weighted data and took into account the design effects resulting from the complex sampling design. A total of 14.2% of the sample reported “Other/unknown racial-ethnic origin” (results not shown). SE standard error

^*P < 0.05,

^**P < 0.01,

^***P < 0.001; difference is significant between US-born and foreign-born within the total population or within a racial-ethnic group

^aDSM IV-based diagnosis; a binary variable combining three original categories: “alcohol abuse only,” “alcohol dependence only,” and “alcohol abuse and dependence,” vs. “no alcohol diagnosis”

^b5+ drinks for men or 4+ drinks for women at least 1–2 times in the last 12 months

^cHaving drunk enough to feel intoxicated at least 1–2 times in the last 12 months