title: Drinkers' use of physical availability of alcohol: buying habits and consumption level.
abstract: On the aggregate level, physical availability of alcohol is related to per capita consumption, prompting the question whether high availability can increase consumption net of social norms which enhance drinking. This issue is investigated using individual-level data in a high-availability urban environment. Effortless, efficient purchase of alcoholic beverages explains a small but significant amount of the variance in consumption when normative factors are statistically controlled. Qualitative factors of availability are discussed, with particular emphasis on food stores, which account for more than half this sample's purchases.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002140:California; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior