Rural Sociology Commons^™

Spending Time Socializing In Bars Increases The Risk Of Heavy Drinking, Danielle Rhubart, Jennifer Kowalkowski, Yiping Li

Population Health Research Brief Series

Bars, pubs, and taverns can provide important spaces for creating and maintaining relationships in a community. This is especially true in rural areas where social infrastructure may be limited. However, bars, pubs, and taverns can also facilitate and normalize alcohol misuse – a health behavior linked to numerous poor health outcomes. This brief uses data from the 2022 Rural Health and Engagement Survey to examine relationships between time spent in bars and heavy drinking. The authors show that individuals who spend time in bars are at greater risk of heavy drinking than those who spend no time in bars, and …