Sarah Zemore, PhD
Sarah Zemore, PhD, is a scientist at PHI's Alcohol Research Group (ARG). Her areas of interest include the roles of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and economic strain in substance use, abuse, and treatment, with a focus on modeling stress and coping. She is also interested in treatment seeking and treatment outcomes among substance-abusing populations.
Her recent work at ARG has examined the impact of economic loss experienced during the 2008-9 recession on alcohol use and problems, and the cumulative impact of poverty and racial discrimination on alcohol problems. She is currently involved in a major study of the U.S.-Mexico border. In other work, she has examined the utilization and efficacy of mutual help groups in recovery, and has explored new social-cognitive models of treatment motivation.
Zemore earned her doctorate in social psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Effects of Disadvantage and Protective Resources on Alcohol-Related Disparities
The primary objective of this study is to describe and explain racial disparities in both heavy drinking and alcohol problems at equivalent levels of consumption. The conceptual approach recognizes that racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. are differentially exposed to economic, social and neighborhood disadvantages, and draws on recent theoretical work suggesting that cumulative exposure to disadvantage may play a significant role in understanding health disparities.
Epidemiology of Drinking and Disorders in Border vs. Non-Border Contexts in Texas
An epidemiological study comparing drinking and alcohol-related disorders in border vs. non-border areas of Texas. Ths study tests a conceptual model identifying factors that may explain higher rates of alcohol consumption and problems in border areas.
Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Disparities in Alcohol Problems
With pressing national concerns about the economic recession and its effects on Americans’ health and welfare, this research component’s highest priority has been to study impacts of economic adversity on alcohol outcomes. We examine unique and cumulative effects of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic disadvantage over the lifetime to deepen understanding of the roots of health disparities.
Research Component on Race/Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Disadvantage, and Disparities in Alcohol Problems
This project is a research component of the Alcohol Research Group's National Alcohol Research Center grant that examines the effects of multiple sources of social disadvantage (e.g., minority race/ethnicity and low socioeconomic status) on alcohol consumption and problems, with special focus on financial strain experienced in the 2008-11 recession.