An estimated 3.2 million Californian men engage in binge drinking, according to the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). The authors of this article studied CHIS's estimated binge drinking rates per county and county group. Specifically, the authors asked whether aggregated estimates of individual demographic factors associated with individual binge drinking would explain some of the county-level variation in binge drinking rates.

Using the CHIS web-based system, estimated binge drinking rates were examined among specific demographic groups of men (less than 300% federal poverty level [FPL], 18–44 years, white, no postsecondary schooling, and married). 

Findings: The estimated percentage of men at less than 300% FPL was positively associated with the binge drinking rate at the county or county-group level. The other four variables were not significant in the model.

Statewide, there were an estimated 5.4 million adult men (41.5%) below 300% FPL, with rates in the 44 counties and county groups ranging from 20.0% to 67.3%. Statewide binge drinking among these lower-income men was 25.2%, with county-level estimates ranging from 11.4% to 36.9%.