Prevalence and factors associated with substance use among Chinese immigrants in Spain: A mixed-design study.

Objective: To explore the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs and its associated factors among Chinese immigrants living in Spain.

Design And Measures: A mixed-method design, using surveys and semi-structured interviews.

Sample: A total of 133 Chinese immigrants and stakeholders were assessed in the quantitative study and 7 stakeholders were interviewed in the qualitative study.

Results: The use of tobacco and alcohol was higher than the use of illicit drugs in Chinese immigrants. The prevalence of daily smokers was greater in men than in women (37.3% vs. 2.5%, p < .001). Men consumed more alcohol (76% vs. 50.6%, p = .004) and more frequently (21.6% daily vs. 2.4%, p = .024) than women. The use of illicit drugs was low and Cannabis was the most illicit drug consumed (4%). Qualitative data revealed that due to a great workload, the workers tended to avoid behaviors of illicit drug consumption, but not of alcohol and tobacco, in which the consumption is associated with business meetings and leisure.

Conclusion: This study found that Chinese immigrants in Spain consume more alcohol and tobacco than illicit drugs and that men have a high consumption compared to women. These findings reveal important cultural differences that should be addressed by public health managers in order to develop strategies that consider the characteristics of this population.