Alcohol Use and Neighborhoods: What Matters Most for Black LGBTQ+ People?

Ever thought about what might influence how much alcohol you drink? A study in Chicago looked into this for Black sexually minoritized men and transgender women. They found that having more empty buildings around might make you drink more. Surprisingly, the number of places selling alcohol or how poor the area is didn't seem to matter much. This shows that neighborhoods feeling disordered can play a big role in how much we drink.The study used a special GPS to track where people spent their time. They then checked if those places had many alcohol shops or were poor. They also looked at things like empty buildings and crime. After running some numbers, they found that empty buildings were linked to more drinking. It's a reminder that our communities play a role in our habits and well-being.