Alcohol Abuse Among Hispanics

Alcohol Abuse among Hispanics
Hispanics are the largest and most rapidly growing ethnic group in the United States, making up about 17 percent of the population, or more than 50 million people. Research shows that drinking patterns among Hispanics are different from those of non-Hispanic Whites and other ethnic or racial groups (National Institute of Alcohol and Alcoholism, 2015). Hispanics’ drinking problem is associated with low socioecomic status such as poverty and low education, acculturation, familism, gender differentiation, social act, morality, ethnic heterogeneity, and cumulative advantage to mention a few.
As an existing social condition, low socioeconomic status is associated with unhealthy behaviors or lifestyles among Hispanics.
The traditional culture across Hispanic countries, explains the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, frowns on women imbibing alcoholic beverages in casual or social settings (consuming alcohol in small family gathering is acceptable). Hispanic men, on the other hand, face no such restrictions; conversely, women are expected to abstain from consuming alcoholic beverages. However, as a result of globalization more women, particularly younger ones with higher educational attainment, are drinking and consequently, some of them are experiencing problems due to this practice. In addition, women in Hispanic culture are highly respected but they are still treated as second class citizens. The mother and grandmother are viewed as the homemaker even if they may work. They are never view as independent but must consult with their husbands when making any important decisions. The daughters are taught that they must always respect their male mate. The Hispanic heritage is rich in tradition of machismo. It is important for women, no matter how much education they receive, to be sub servant to the male (Psycho Social Issues, 2003). In more recent years due to the globalization, according to Alcoholism Statistics, children who are raised in families where one or both parents are alcoholics have a greater chance of becoming addicted to alcohol themselves at some time in their
Their health problems involve something other than the inability to purchase health-promoting goods; they involve the purchase of harmful consumer products. High tobacco use among those with low education, occupational status, and income serves as a prime example of the adoption of self-destructive habits by deprived groups. Other lifestyle choices involving poor diet, excess alcohol, and inactivity also likely contribute to socioeconomic status differences in health and longevity (Blacks and Hispanics reported greater exposure to social disadvantage than whites, including greater poverty, unfair treatment, racial/ethnic stigma, and cumulative disadvantage. In all three racial/ethnic groups, exposure to disadvantage was associated with problem drinking. Frequent unfair treatment, high racial stigma (among minorities), and multiple sources of extreme disadvantage corresponded to a twofold to sixfold greater risk of alcohol problems, partially explained by psychological distress (Greenfeld, 2008)