ABSTRACT
Latinx Americans are disproportionately affected by alcohol-related health complications compared to non-Latinx
Whites [3]. There is compelling evidence that Latinas may be particularly at risk for experiencing some alcohol-related
health problems compared to Latinos. Women are more likely to develop alcohol-related cirrhosis and are more likely to
have brain damage from alcohol use than men [4]. Disparities for women are further complicated by the intersection of
gender with ethnicity, as research shows that Latinas and other racial and ethnic minority women may be less likely to
seek treatment than non-Latina Whites [7]. Research also shows that the gender gap in drinking among Latinxs is
narrowing [5], and young Latina women are engaging in more hazardous alcohol behaviors [3]. The U.S. Latina
population is over 30 million [19]; thus, research examining alcohol use and misuse among Latinas must be a public
health priority. I am an Assistant Professor at a supportive research oriented Hispanic Serving Institution and committed
to a lifelong career of conducting research designed to reduce alcohol-related health disparities among Latinxs. The
training and research activities in this K01 application will address two major gaps in the literature on alcohol use among
Latinas in the U.S. Specifically, more research is needed to understand the most current patterns of alcohol use and misuse
among Latinas at the population level. Examinations of current national data devoted exclusively to U.S. Latinas is scarce,
particularly relative to the size of the Latina population. Also, the small body of literature examining gender role norms in
relation to alcohol use among Latinas is extremely limited, although this same literature highlights the importance of
understanding this link. Current research cannot address how shifts in salient gender role expectations transmitted in a
bicultural context relate to drinking (or abstaining) among Latinas. To effectively inform culturally tailored alcohol
prevention and treatment programs that serve the U.S. Latina population, it is crucial for researchers to address these
major gaps in the literature. To this end, I propose implementing complementary methods. First, I will use complex
survey analysis across three national datasets to draw directly from the most current national data available to assess
alcohol use and misuse among Latinas. Next, I will conduct qualitative research so that I may tease out the complexities
of drinking-related gender role expectations – from both traditional Latin culture and mainstream U.S. culture – that are
experienced by Latinas in the U.S. Themes that are gleaned from these discussions will be used to generate items for a
quantitative measure that captures how bicultural gender role expectations contribute to drinking behaviors among
Latinas. This final phase of my training will inform an R01 submission, which will pilot and validate the measure that I
will begin developing as a K01 awardee. Highlighting the “full circle” nature of this training, my R01 application will
include validating the measure among a national sample of U.S. Latinas. With a team of world-class mentors, this project
will address two major research gaps in the literature on alcohol use among Latinas and will also afford me expertise to
continue tackling major gaps in the literature using a holistic and complementary skillset of scientific methods.