Exploring Structural, Sociocultural, and Individual Barriers to Alcohol Abuse Treatment Among Hispanic Men

Abstract

Hispanic men have poor access to alcohol abuse treatment, low treatment engagement, and low treatment completion rates despite the contrasting burden of alcohol-related consequences they face. The purpose of this study was to examine Hispanic male perspectives regarding alcohol abuse treatment-seeking behaviors and the structural, sociocultural, and individual factors that may influence initiation and continued engagement in treatment in this population. Individual interviews were conducted with a sample of 20 Hispanic men (age: 44.6 ± 11.3 years). Thematic analysis was completed using a hybrid deductive–inductive approach centered in an a priori codebook that was further supplemented with iterative exploration of transcripts. Results suggested treatment-seeking behaviors were highly influenced by (a) structural factors related to poor treatment access, as well as lack of linguistic- and cultural-responsiveness of available treatment; (b) sociocultural factors related to difficulties problematizing alcohol abuse due to lack of community awareness, societal normalization of consumption, and stigmatization of alcohol abuse treatment; and (c) individual factors related to lack of individual knowledge. This work highlights the perceived lack of congruency between available treatment and the linguistic, cultural, and gender norms of Hispanic men. There is need for responsive treatment strategies that comprehensively consider the gendered- and sociocultural-factors that govern treatment seeking and engagement behaviors. Findings also suggest a need for targeted alcohol abuse awareness building efforts in the Hispanic community. Specifically, the detrimental effects of alcohol-related problems and potential benefits of treatment should be addressed in order to diminish social stigma of abuse and of treatment.

“This Is the Result of Something Else”: Experiences of Men That Abused Drugs and Had Experienced Childhood Trauma

“…Waiting lists were also mentioned as an obstacle, and there was a lack of information on resources after treatment. Individuals who perceive treatment options as unavailable to them tend to be left with inadequate treatment options, or as this study shows, no treatment at all ( Valdez et al, 2018 ). Post-treatment care should encourage ongoing recovery and individuals often find it helpful to meet other people in similar post-treatment situations ( Pulford et al, 2010 ).…”

Hispanic Male Recruitment into Obesity-Related Research: Evaluating Content Messaging Strategies, Experimental Findings, and Practical Implications

“…As seen in our previous work, the lack of Hispanic male engagement in health-related research is perhaps driven by concepts of self-reliance that also govern healthcare services seeking behaviors. 9,32 Hispanic men, particularly those with a reluctance to seek healthcare services based on expressions of self-reliance rooted in masculinity, may also not exhibit any interest in explicitly participating in any other health service related activity, including participating in research. 9,32 These gendered cultural nuances may explain why positive masculinity -centered messaging also yielded noteworthy results as its use was successful in engaging Hispanic male participantswhich is consistent with emerging literature on masculinity and healthcare services and research engagement.…”

“…9,32 Hispanic men, particularly those with a reluctance to seek healthcare services based on expressions of self-reliance rooted in masculinity, may also not exhibit any interest in explicitly participating in any other health service related activity, including participating in research. 9,32 These gendered cultural nuances may explain why positive masculinity -centered messaging also yielded noteworthy results as its use was successful in engaging Hispanic male participantswhich is consistent with emerging literature on masculinity and healthcare services and research engagement. There has been increased attention to an improved understanding of male health-related behaviors, particularly focused on strength-based approaches to assessing the lives of healthy men and attention focused on positive aspects of masculinity.…”

Development, Feasibility, Acceptability, and Utility of an Expressive Speech-Enabled Digital Health Agent to Deliver Online, Brief Motivational Interviewing for Alcohol Misuse: Descriptive Study

“…A number of barriers prevent individuals from accessing the treatment they need, including acknowledging the need for treatment [ 8 ], availability of trained providers [ 9 ], proximity of providers, access to transportation, affordability, insurance coverage, scheduling, and stigma [ 10 ]. Individuals living in rural settings or in poverty — where alcohol abuse is more prominent — are disproportionately impacted by these barriers [ 9 ].…”