The impact of cultural stress and gender norms on alcohol use severity among Latino immigrant men

Alcohol misuse affects 15 million people in the United States. Compared to White men, Latino men have disproportionately higher rates of both alcohol misuse and negative alcohol-related consequences (e.g. drunk driving, liver disease, alcohol dependence, HIV/AIDS). This cross sectional study examined how cultural stressors [immigration stress and negative context of reception (NCR)] coupled with traditional Latino male gender norms (machismo and caballerismo) influences alcohol use severity (AUS) among adult Latino immigrant men. Data for the present study was collected between 2017 and 2018 from 279 Cuban, Central American, and South American adult Latino men who immigrated to the US approximately 10 years prior. Results from hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed higher levels of perceived NCR (β = 0.15, p =.01), and machismo (β = 0.16, p =.02) were associated with greater AUS. Significant interaction effects were found between both cultural stressors and machismo [immigration stress x machismo (β = 0.22, p <.001); NCR x machismo (β = 0.22, p <.001)] whereby higher levels of machismo strengthened the association between cultural stress and AUS. Findings from the present study can inform culturally appropriate interventions aimed at mitigating alcohol use among Latino immigrant men.