Researchers have found that perceived discrimination strengthened the relationship between distress related to George Floyd’s murder and unhealthy alcohol use in a group of U.S. veterans in 2020. The findings, published in Addictive Behaviors Reports, highlight the interplay of societal issues and personal health.
The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, by a Minneapolis police officer sparked a wave of social justice and anti-racism movements across the United States. This event, occurring amidst the global pandemic of COVID-19, which itself led to increased alcohol consumption and sales, prompted researchers to investigate its unique impact on U.S. veterans—a group already prone to higher rates of alcohol use disorders.
Previously, studies have shown that social, political, and economic upheavals often lead to increases in substance use, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. U.S. veterans, in particular, face a higher risk due to a combination of service-related stress and social disadvantages. This study aimed to delve deeper into these dynamics by examining the specific roles of perceived discrimination and the personal impact of social justice movements on veterans’ alcohol use.
To explore these associations, 286 U.S. veterans, ranging in age from 18 to 70, who reported alcohol use, were surveyed between October and November 2020. The study used the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test 10 (AUDIT-10), a World Health Organization tool, to measure unhealthy alcohol use. Perceived discrimination was assessed using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS), which captures day-to-day experiences of discrimination.
Additionally, the research team developed specific questions to gauge the subjective impact and personal distress related to social justice and anti-racism movements following George Floyd’s murder. Participants were asked, “Overall, how much has your life been impacted by social justice and anti-racism movements?” and “Please rate the extent to which social injustices and racism since George Floyd’s death have caused you distress.”
The researchers found that veterans who reported experiencing discrimination exhibited higher levels of unhealthy alcohol use compared to those who did not report such experiences. This suggests a direct correlation between the experience of discrimination and increased alcohol consumption as a coping mechanism.
Perceptions of discrimination varied among different racial and ethnic groups. Racial and ethnic minorities in the study were more likely to report experiencing racial discrimination, while non-Hispanic Whites were more inclined to report discrimination based on education or income level. Racial and ethnic minorities also reported experiencing greater distress related to the murder of George Floyd.
A pivotal finding of the study was the moderating effect of perceived discrimination on the relationship between the distress related to George Floyd’s murder and unhealthy alcohol use. The researchers discovered that as the levels of perceived discrimination increased among veterans, the strength of the association between the emotional impact of George Floyd’s murder and their unhealthy alcohol use also intensified.
“These findings suggest that learning about a socially unjust event may be related to increased unhealthy alcohol use in individuals who have experienced similar socially unjust events such as perceived discrimination,” the researchers wrote.
The findings bring to light the role of discrimination and societal events in influencing health behaviors like alcohol consumption. They underscore the need for healthcare providers, especially in veteran care, to consider these factors when treating unhealthy alcohol use.
The study, however, is not without limitations. Its cross-sectional nature limits the ability to draw causal connections. In addition, most participants were non-Hispanic Whites. Only about 10% of the sample identified as Black or African American. “While substantial research has been conducted on the correlates and consequences of discrimination among minority groups, this study contributes to the little-known research about how different types of perceived discrimination impact hazardous drinking in non-Hispanic White Veterans,” the researcher said.
The study, “Perceived discrimination enhances the association between distress and impact related to the murder of George Floyd and unhealthy alcohol use in a survey sample of U.S. Veterans who report drinking“, was authored by Monique T. Cano, Jill V. Reavis, and David L. Pennington.
