Positive association between neighborhood retail alcohol outlet access and hospital admissions for alcohol withdrawal syndrome in New Orleans.

We used treatment for alcohol withdrawal syndrome as an objective surrogate marker to investigate the relationship between alcohol-related health outcomes and home neighborhood alcohol outlet density and alcohol advertising density. Mixed effects logistic regression examined whether alcohol outlet density or alcohol advertisement density within either one-quarter mile or one-half mile of individuals' home address was associated with treatment for alcohol withdrawal. Adjusted models showed outlet and advertising density, particularly off-sale outlet density within one-quarter mile of the home, increased the risk of hospital admission for alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AOR = 1.15). These data inform public policy initiatives to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol by regulating the neighborhood alcohol environment.