Social network characteristics and alcohol use by ethnic origin: An ego-based network study on peer similarity, social relationships, and co-existing drinking habits among young Swedes

PLoS One. 2021 Apr 8;16(4):e0249120. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249120. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

The study explores how social network determinants relate to the prevalence and frequency of alcohol use among peer dyads. It is studied how similar alcohol habits co-exist among persons (egos) and their peers (alters) when socio-demographic similarity (e.g., in ethnic origin), network composition and other socio-cultural aspects were considered. Data was ego-based responses derived from a Swedish national survey with a cohort of 23-year olds. The analytical sample included 7987 ego-alter pairs, which corresponds to 2071 individuals (egos). A so-called dyadic design was applied i.e., all components of the analysis refer to ego-alter pairs (dyads). Multilevel multinomial-models were used to analyse similarity in alcohol habits in relation to ego-alter similarity in ethnic background, religious beliefs, age, sex, risk-taking, educational level, closure in network, duration, and type of relationship, as well as interactions between ethnicity and central network characteristics. Ego-alter similarity in terms of ethnic origin, age and sex was associated with ego-alter similarity in alcohol use. That both ego and alters were non-religious and were members of closed networks also had an impact on similarity in alcohol habits. It was concluded that network similarity might be an explanation for the co-existence of alcohol use among members of peer networks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology*
  • Alcohol Drinking / ethnology
  • Educational Status
  • Ethnicity / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Habits
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Peer Group
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Networking*
  • Sweden
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

MR received funding for grant no. 2016-07128 from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte) https://forte.se/en/. JR received funding for grants no. 263422 from the European Research Council (ERC), https://erc.europa.eu/, and for grants no. 2007-0806 and 2014-0387 from the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (Forte). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.