Alcohol, drug use and consequences among Hispanics seeking treatment for alcohol-related problems.

Objective: Ethnic differences in alcohol consumption patterns are often reported in general population surveys, but less is known about variation among ethnic groups presenting for treatment. Method: Within a larger clinical trial, patterns of drinking, drug use and related problems were compared for Hispanic (n = 102) and non-Hispanic white (n = 104) male (n = 154) and female (n = 52) clients presenting at a public clinic for outpatient treatment of alcohol problems. Results: Relatively few reliable ethnic differences were observed in alcohol /drug use patterns. Non-Hispanic white men reported significantly more pretreatment tobacco use than did Hispanic men (84.7% vs 61.3% of past 90 days). Hispanic women reported significantly fewer legal problems (28.6% vs 83.9%), symptoms of dependence and negative consequences of drinking relative to non-Hispanic white women. Measures of acculturation and acculturative stress failed to differentiate drinking patterns among Hispanic clients. Conclusions: Within a tre...