Abstract
In 1988 Congress passed the Alcohol Beverage Labeling Act, requiring that two specific health warning labels appear on all alcoholic beverage containers sold in the United States after November 1989. The following year, a random sample of 481 homeless persons interviewed in shelters, soup kitchens, drop-in centers, and single room occupancy (SRO) hotels in Cook County, Illinois were asked about their awareness and knowledge of these messages. As a group traditionally considered at high risk for alcohol abuse, the degree to which the newly-mandated warning messages have been communicated to homeless persons has important implications for the success of this public health measure. Findings revealed that age and level of alcohol consumption were each associated with label awareness and content familiarity, suggesting that alcohol beverage warning labels may be reaching homeless persons.
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