Regional change and problem drinking in the United States, 1970–1978

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Abstract
Smith C. J. and Hanham R. Q. (1984) Regional change and problem drinking in the United States, 1970–1978, Reg. Studies 19, 149–162. In the 1970s significant regional change occurred in the United States in connection with the distribution of population, employment, and income. Some external costs have results from these regional changes, as different areas have experienced varying economic and demographic fortunes. In this paper we investigate one such cost—the effect of alcohol abuse on human health. Our analysis suggests that both regional growth and decline in the United States during the 1970s can be related directly to the prevalence of alcohol-induced health problems. It is also apparent that economic and demographic changes have had an indirect influence on the prevalence of alcohol problems by altering the geographical pattern of drinking in the United States.