| dc.description.abstract | Acculturation of immigrant Hispanic and Latina women may be directly related to their alcohol consumption. This use of alcohol may result in negative physical and psychosocial consequences. Previous research has not addressed indentifying the reasons the women use alcohol, or determined if their alcohol use is a result of acculturation, or rather serves as a means of acculturation.
Understanding the reasons immigrant Hispanic and Latina women use alcohol will provide the information needed to develop specific educational interventions and programs regarding alcohol use for this population. A mixed-methods research design was used. The women were asked to complete a demographic questionnaire, the Alcohol Use Disorders Inventory Tool (AUDIT) and Short Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (SASH). In addition, participants who reported alcohol use were asked to complete a personal audio-taped interview and describe their alcohol use and reasons for choosing to drink. Surveys and interviews were provided in English or Spanish, dependent on language preference of the participant.
A total of 20 women, with ages ranging from 18 years to 72 years (mean = 33 years) completed the study questionnaires. For all participants, length of time in the U.S. ranged from 0.5 years to 35 years, with a mean of 13 years. Nine of these women reported alcohol use, and four agreed to participate in an audio-taped interview. Quantitative analysis showed that women who reported alcohol use, there was a positive correlation between drinking and their level of acculturation. If the women did not drink at all, there was no relationship.
Data collected in this study may be used to develop appropriate and effective interventions for this vulnerable group of women. Also, information gained has the potential to add to the scientific body of knowledge about acculturation and alcohol use among immigrant Hispanic and Latina women. | en_US |
