The Role of Immigration Status in Heavy Drinking Among Asian Americans

We examined the role of Asian Americans' immigration status in their heavy drinking, using a national sample of 3,574 Asian American adults during 2008 to 2011 when surveyed by the National Health Interview Survey. Our results, with relevant social structural factors controlled, show that U. S.-born Asian Americans exhibited the highest heavy-drinking levels, followed by long-time-resident Asian immigrants, then recent-resident Asian immigrants (our three main subsamples). The higher heavy-drinking levels characterizing U. S.-born Asians who were male and younger, as compared to immigrant Asians who were male and younger, helped explain differential heavy-drinking levels across subsamples. The study's limitations are noted.