Alcohol consumption, perceptions of community responses and attitudes to service provision: results from a survey of Indian, Chinese and Pakistani young people in Greater Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Aims: To gather prevalence data regarding alcohol consumption and gauge perceptions of community responses to alcohol and service provision in a sample of Pakistani, Indian and Chinese young people aged 16-25 years, in Greater Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

Methods: A survey methodology utilizing purposive sampling techniques (n = 174) was employed. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.

Results: Alcohol consumption amongst the target populations is currently lower than that of the general population. Predictors of alcohol consumption were found to include self-reported importance of religion (a negative association with consumption) and having same-ethnicity friends who drink alcohol. There was a lack of consensus amongst participants regarding whether service provision should be part of the mainstream or specialist for black and minority ethnic individuals.

Conclusions: Alcohol consumption in the target populations may be increasing and service provision could benefit by including specialist services for black and minority ethnic groups, in addition to mainstream services that need to be culturally sensitive.