Alcohol misuse and ethnicity

doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7543.682

BMJ 2006;332:682 (25 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7543.682

Editorial

Alcohol misuse and ethnicity

Hidden populations need specific services—and more research

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The development and implementation of clinically effective interventionsfor alcohol misuse remains a priority for developed countrieswith high levels of harmful alcohol consumption.^w1 Such interventionsrely on individuals recognising that they need help and thenseeking it, but ethnic minorities may have particular problemswith alcohol use yet may be constrained from seeking help.

In the United Kingdom several ethnic minorities have higherlevels of alcohol use and resulting health problems than thegeneral population. For example, 34% of Irish men drink abovethe weekly recommended limit of 21 units of alcohol,^w2 comparedwith 29% of the general Irish population and 27% of the generalBritish population. A similar problem exists in south Asian(Sikh) male migrants to the UK, where problem drinking is higherthan in the Sikh population in South Asia and similar to thatof the UK general population.^w3 Irish and Sikh groups in the. . . [Full text of this article]

Rahul Rao, consultant and honorary senior lecturer in psychiatry

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, London
(tony.rao@kcl.ac.uk)

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