The role of alcohol availability in alcohol consumption and alcohol problems.

The major theoretical approaches that have provided competing explanations for the distribution and nature of alcohol problems are reviewed and assessed. The sociocultural model and studies are briefly discussed with major emphasis given to the particular studies that have focused on different conceptions and dimensions of availability. Attempts to integrate the sociocultural model and the distribution of consumption model are also reviewed. A recent integrated model finds specific relationships between physical availability or the different types of outlets, with social area characteristics of different populations, and some four different alcohol problems, including cirrhosis, public drunk arrests, and misdemeanor and felony drunk driving arrests. Specific social area characteristics representing social class, minority status, and other structural features such as unemployment and women's labor force participation become implicated in alcohol problems independently of the effects of differing levels of availability. Additional related research on licensing and enforcement practices, beliefs, and attitudes of ABC personnel are also reviewed in relation to the general issue of availability. Other recent research on social and psychological dimensions of availability are also reviewed. Cross-sectional time series modeling is suggested as a technique for determining causal processes.