Alcohol use in seven ethnic communities in Ontario: A qualitative investigation

Populations in Canada represent a diverse range of cultures with different beliefs and norms regarding alcohol use and related problems. While there is very little published research on the cultural aspects of alcohol and other substance uses in Canada, in spite of the cultural diversity of the country, there are important indications that alcohol is a serious problem in many ethnic communities. In order to arrive at a more complete understanding of the issues related to providing culturally sensitive approaches that would meet the alcohol-related health promotion needs of diverse communities, focus group discussions were conducted with the key informants and community members from seven Ontario communities: the Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Tamil, Punjabi, Serbian and Somali. The results revealed that the types and sizes of alcoholic beverages consumed in each community, drinking levels that are considered ‘normal’ or ‘excessive’, as well as the perception of alcohol-related problems are largely shaped by their cultural norms and beliefs, which often differ from those of the dominant culture. Health messages that reflect the dominant culture are often not relevant to people from different cultural backgrounds. Socioeconomic disadvantages and barriers to service utilization heighten their vulnerability to alcohol problems. These findings have important implications for prevention and service provision, particularly to ethnic communities that may be unlikely to access services through more standard channels.