Abstract
In one Los Angeles study, 20 % of day laborers reported excessive drinking. Older adults are more sensitive to alcohol’s effects,
yet heavy drinking persists among Latinos until they are in their 60s. No interventions to reduce heavy drinking exist for
aging day laborers. We recruited 14 day laborers aged 50 and older in Los Angeles. We identified their unhealthy alcohol use
behaviors and comorbidities and conducted semi-structured interviews to understand their perceptions of unhealthy alcohol
use. We found social disadvantages and conditions exacerbated by alcohol use, like depression. Participants were concerned
with dying and premature aging, and reported that family could influence behavior change. An intervention should consider
(1) integrating family values and (2) increasing knowledge about alcohol use and comorbidities. Further studies are needed
to explore family influence on aging Latino day laborers.
yet heavy drinking persists among Latinos until they are in their 60s. No interventions to reduce heavy drinking exist for
aging day laborers. We recruited 14 day laborers aged 50 and older in Los Angeles. We identified their unhealthy alcohol use
behaviors and comorbidities and conducted semi-structured interviews to understand their perceptions of unhealthy alcohol
use. We found social disadvantages and conditions exacerbated by alcohol use, like depression. Participants were concerned
with dying and premature aging, and reported that family could influence behavior change. An intervention should consider
(1) integrating family values and (2) increasing knowledge about alcohol use and comorbidities. Further studies are needed
to explore family influence on aging Latino day laborers.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s10903-012-9700-9
- Authors
- Homero E. del Pino, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, 1731 E. 120th St., Building N, Los Angles, CA 90059, USA
- Carolyn Méndez-Luck, School of Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Corvallis, OR, USA
- Georgiana Bostean, Cancer Prevention and Control Research, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Karina Ramírez, Division of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Marlom Portillo, Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Alison A. Moore, Division of Geriatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Journal Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
- Online ISSN 1557-1920
- Print ISSN 1557-1912