Association between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Binge Drinking among Adults: The Moderating Effect of Race/Ethnicity

Although studies have investigated the effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on binge drinking, few studies have investigated the moderating effects of race/ethnicity on the association between ACEs and binge drinking among adults. The objectives of this study were to examine the association between ACEs and binge drinking, and whether this association is dependent on race/ethnicity. Data for this study were obtained from the 2019-2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. An analytic sample of 204,858 adults aged 18-69 (50.9% female) was analyzed using binary logistic regression. Of the 204,858 respondents, 18.2% engaged in binge drinking, 32.7% had no ACEs, and 21.5% had four or more ACEs. We found that race/ethnicity moderated the association between ACEs and binge drinking. Odds were 1.67 times higher for non-Hispanic Blacks who experienced four or more ACEs (AOR = 1.67 p < .001, 95% CI = 1.31-2.14) and 1.39 times higher for Hispanics who experienced four or more ACEs (AOR = 1.39 p < .05, 95% CI = 1.05-1.83) to engage in binge drinking when compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts who experienced four or more ACEs. Other factors associated with binge drinking include younger age, higher income, higher education, not being married, poor mental health, and cigarette smoking. Females had lower odds of engaging in binge drinking. The association between ACEs and binge drinking varies based on race/ethnicity. The findings of this study underscore the importance of developing race-specific screening and intervention strategies to support individuals exposed to multiple ACEs and potentially mitigate binge drinking later in life.