Population and place characteristics are associated with rates of violence across spatial areas. Alcohol outlets directly affect and moderate potentials for violence associated with socio-demographic groups.

Assault rates were most strongly related to median household incomes and minority populations within zip code areas. Controlling for changes in assault rates related to these measures, greater numbers of licensed alcohol retail establishments, especially bars and off-premise outlets, were related to rates of assault. Failures to regulate the growth in numbers of bars will increase rates of violence, especially in urban areas.

Neighborhood indicators of social disadvantage, such as poverty and unemployment, are associated with intimate partner violence (IPV). Despite the well-established link between heavy drinking and IPV, few studies have analyzed the contribution of alcohol outlet density to the occurrence of IPV. Greater numbers of alcohol outlets in a community may be a sign of loosened normative constraints against violence, promote problem drinking among at-risk couples, and provide environments where groups of persons at risk for IPV may form and mutually reinforce IPV-related attitudes, norms, and problem behaviors. This study used ecological data to determine if alcohol outlet density (number of bars, restaurants serving alcohol, and off-premise outlets per unit area) is related to rates of IPV-related police calls and IPV-related crime reports in Sacramento, California. Separate analyses for IPV calls and crime reports were conducted using Bayesian space–time models adjusted for area characteristics (poverty rate, unemployment rate, racial/ethnic composition). The results showed that each additional off-premise alcohol outlet is associated with an approximate 4% increase in IPV-related police calls and an approximate 3% increase in IPV-related crime reports. Bars and restaurants were not associated with either outcome. The findings suggest that alcohol outlet density, especially off-premise outlets, appear to be related to IPV events. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which neighborhood factors, such as alcohol outlet density, affect IPV behaviors. Understanding these mechanisms is of public health importance for developing environmental IPV prevention strategies, such as changes in zoning, community action, education, and enforcement activities.

Background and aims Social ecological theories suggest that greater community alcohol availability and individual drinker characteristics should jointly affect drinking patterns and the use of drinking contexts. We assessed relationships of demographic and personality characteristics of individual drinkers and environmental characteristics at the city-level to measures of drinking patterns and use of drinking contexts. Design Multilevel statistical analyses of archival and survey data from 50 cities in California, USA. Settings An ecological sample of 50 geographically distinct cities with populations from 50,000 to 500,000 persons. Participants General population telephone survey of 8,553 adults 18 years of age and older stratified by cities. Measurements Archival data on city-level alcohol outlet densities were combined with individual survey data identifying community conditions, individual demographic and psychosocial characteristics, frequencies of use of drinking contexts and drinking patterns. Findings Greater on-premise outlet densities were related to greater drinking frequencies (b=2.967, z=4.688, p<0.001) and volumes (b=0.627, z=3.394, p<0.001), and use of on-premises drinking places (bars, b=0.334, z=2.645, p<0.006, and restaurants, b=0.171, z=2.770, p=0.005). Individual demographic and personality characteristics were related to drinking and use of drinking contexts. For example, greater impulsivity was related to greater drinking frequencies (b=0.200, z=2.088, p=0.023) and logged quantities (b=0.015, z=2.009, p=0.026), and proportionately more drinking at bars (b=0.033, z=2.016, p=0.026) and parties (b=0.171, z=2.770, p=0.004). Conclusion Community availability of alcohol and individual drinker characteristics appear to act jointly to affect drinking levels and use of drinking contexts in California, USA. These effects may increase risks related to drinking in some contexts (e.g., bars) much more than others (e.g., at friends’ or relatives’ homes).