Objective There is little research on factors associated with alcohol consumption among Puerto Ricans living in the USA; thus the aim of the present study was to examine alcohol intake patterns, and factors associated with drinking categories, in a cohort of Puerto Rican adults in Massachusetts. Design Cross-sectional study. Descriptive and polytomous logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with drinking patterns, stratified by gender. Setting Greater Boston area, MA, USA. Subjects Puerto Rican adults (n 1292), aged 45–75 years. Results Eight per cent of men and 39 % of women were lifetime abstainers; 40 % of men and 25 % of women were former drinkers; 31 % of men and 27 % of women were moderate drinkers; and 21 % of men and 8 % of women were heavy drinkers. Thirty-five per cent of participants reported drinking alcohol while taking medications with alcohol contraindications. After multivariable adjustment, young men were less likely than older men to be moderate drinkers. Among women, higher BMI, age, lower income and lower psychological acculturation were associated with abstention; age and lower perceived emotional support were associated with increased likelihood of former drinking; and women without v. with diabetes were more likely to be heavy drinkers. Conclusions High prevalence of chronic disease, heavy drinking and alcohol use while taking medications with alcohol contraindications suggest an urgent need for better screening and interventions tailored to this rapidly growing Hispanic national subgroup. As heavy drinking appears to increase with acculturation for women, public health initiatives are needed to support appropriate alcohol use.

The objective of this study was to investigate if the mothers' demographics and household characteristics-including type of use of cooking fuel, energy and toilet facilities-have any implication for complete immunisation rates among their children. A cross-sectional data analysis of a nationally representative sample of 4925 women with at least one child was performed. Chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used. Immunisation coverage was positively associated with the mother's education and with household characteristics such as toilet facility, electricity and involvement in a microfinance group. These findings indicate the need for further advocacy for increased knowledge on the importance of vaccination and affordable public immunisation programs focusing on higher risk households such as those with pit facilities, lack of electricity and no participation in a microfinance group. Such households warrant further attention and can be targeted for immunisation coverage.