Alcohol Research Group

  • Donate
  • Contact Us
  • Research
    • Overview
    • Publications
    • Disparities
    • Environment
    • Epidemiology
    • Health
    • International
    • Intervention Trials
    • Methodology
    • Policy
    • Treatment & Recovery
  • Alcohol Disparities Research Center
    • About
    • People
      • Center Leadership
      • Scientific Advisory Board
      • Research Partnerships
    • Research
      • Cores
      • Research Projects
      • National Alcohol Surveys
      • Affiliated Research
    • Impacts
    • Training Program
  • Our Impacts
    • Publications
    • Press Releases
    • ARG in the News
  • Training
    • NIAAA Training Program
    • Faculty & Mentors
    • Predoctoral Fellowship
    • Postdoctoral Fellowship
    • Seminars
    • Current Fellows
  • About Us
    • History
    • Mission, Vision, Values & Goals
    • Governance
    • Staff
    • Library
    • Support ARG
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • News & Events
    • Health Guides
    • Datasets
    • Press Releases
    • ARG in the News

Social Networks, Poverty, & Relapse Risk

February 1, 2018 by


Problem drinkers with friends who drink and who live in poor neighborhoods are more likely to relapse after treatment

The number of people in your social network who drink increases the risk of relapse following treatment and this risk is even greater if you live in a disadvantaged neighborhood, a new study from the Alcohol Research Group, a project of the Public Health institute, found.

Study participants were recruited from abstinence-based outpatient programs and participated in follow-up interviews one, three, five, and seven years post recruitment. A disadvantaged neighborhood was defined as at least twenty percent of its residents having incomes below poverty.

The number of heavy drinkers in one’s network increases risk of relapse, even after adjusting for demographic and other risk factors associated with problem drinking. Those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods who had greater numbers of problem drinkers in their networks were at even greater risk for continued problem drinking compared to those in non-disadvantaged neighborhoods who had problem drinkers in their networks.

“This is the first study to look at the synergy between neighborhood disadvantage and social networks on relapse risk among people following treatment for alcohol problems,” Scientist and lead author Amy Mericle said. “We now need to focus on developing and testing interpersonal and structural interventions to increase recovery capital to offset these risks.”

Such interventions include providing those in recovery with strategies to deal with environmental and social triggers, as well as creating supportive environments that reinforce a lifestyle in recovery.

More Information

Mericle, A. A., Kaskutas, L.A., Polcin, D.L., and Karriker-Jaffe, K.J. (2018). Independent and interactive effects of neighborhood disadvantage and social network characteristics on problem drinking after treatment. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 37(1), 1-21.

Support for this paper was provided by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health under award number R01AA020328.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism or the National Institutes of Health.

Latest News

January 25th, 2023
COVID-19 study finds striking inequities in access to health care during the pandemic
January 10th, 2023
Effects of Medicaid expansion on alcohol and opioid treatment admissions in racial and ethnic groups
December 15th, 2022
Project Update: Smoke-free Policy Adoption at Community Colleges
November 9th, 2022
Recovery Housing Project Produces & Makes Available U.S. State-Level Reports
September 8th, 2022
Study reveals inequities in alcohol screenings, resulting in missed opportunities for treatment

Recent Findings

January 25th, 2023
COVID-19 study finds striking inequities in access to health care during the pandemic
January 10th, 2023
Effects of Medicaid expansion on alcohol and opioid treatment admissions in racial and ethnic groups
September 8th, 2022
Study reveals inequities in alcohol screenings, resulting in missed opportunities for treatment
June 26th, 2022
New COVID-19 Study Finds More Drinking, but Fewer Drinkers
March 23rd, 2022
For Black Americans, Low Socioeconomic Position and Adverse School Experiences Earlier in Life Linked to Heavy Drinking in Adulthood

Newsletter Sign-up

Public Health Institute
  • © 2023   Alcohol Research Group
  • Public Health Institute
  • 6001 Shellmound St,, Suite 450
    Emeryville CA 94608
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
  • About Us
  • National Alcohol Research Center
  • Training
  • Resources & Tools

Stay Connected

NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

© 2023 Alcohol Research Group - Responsive WordPress Website by HyperArts