新作坊

Ethnic variation in women's and men's drinking.

摘要：

The existence of clear cultural differences in drinking patterns and practices is well documented. Cultural prescriptions to a large degree determine who has access to alcohol as well as when, where, and in what circumstances people are allowed or expected to consume alcohol. Cultural beliefs and norms governing the use of alcohol are embedded in and shaped by a broader framework of cultural elements. These elements include religious orientations, affective styles, social roles, social group identifications, social class and occupational structures, status and power differences, and mechanisms of social control. All societies have gender role norms, although the content of rules for male and female behavior varies among cultures. The patterns of alcohol use in a society or ethnic group are typically integrated into the rules prescribed for gender role behavior. In the US, most population growth is taking place among groups of non-European background. Such a demographic change will make it more and more important to understand ethnic variations in women's and men's drinking. This chapter discusses issues of gender and alcohol use in 4 broad population groupings: Asians, Latinos, African-Americans, and Native Americans.