Alcohol problems among migrants in substance use treatment: the role of drinking patterns in countries of birth

Abstract

Migrants’ beliefs about when to seek help for alcohol problems may differ from host-country norms. We undertook an audit of 393 cases of screening in specialist alcohol and other drug services in Victoria, Australia, to examine whether alcohol problem severity at the time of help-seeking was influenced by drinking norms in countries of birth. Alcohol problem severity was measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and World Health Organization per capita alcohol consumption data was used to form three categories of clients relative to Australian consumption: (1) Australian born; (2) born in low alcohol consumption countries; and (3) born in high alcohol consumption countries. Clients born in high consumption countries such as those in Europe and the UK had significantly higher levels of alcohol problem severity at intake compared with Australian-born clients and clients born in low consumption countries. This suggests that clients from high consumption countries might have delayed seeking help in line with the alcohol norms in their country of origin. Screening this group for alcohol problems in primary health care might avoid significant cumulative harm.