Latinos and Alcohol Use/Abuse Revisited

Book excerpt: The one-of-a-kind exploration of effective alcohol prevention and treatment for Latinos-now and for the future! By the year 2020, the Latino population in the United States will increase to 60 million, making up 18 percent of all residents. Latinos and Alcohol Use/Abuse Revisited: Advances and Challenges for Prevention and Treatment Programs brings into sharp focus how present and future demographic shifts in Latino population are being felt in alcohol programs across the United States. Case studies and in-depth research clearly illustrate the practical steps various culturally competent programs recommend to effectively deal with alcohol use, prevention, and treatment for Latinos. Alcohol abuse, though rampant in Latino populations, has not received the attention that other types of drug abuse has received, even though the death rates, health problems, and financial costs from alcohol are staggering. Latinos and Alcohol Use/Abuse Revisited presents respected authorities tackling the tough questions about demographics, culturally competent research, and effective prevention and treatment programs. The book provides an up-to-date socio-demographic foundation, then builds upon current research and information to present a clear picture of the needs of various Latino populations for alcohol abuse programs now and in the future. Latinos and Alcohol Use/Abuse Revisited discusses: the Latino demographic profile—an overview patterns of need and treatment among Mexican-origin adults in central California alcohol abuse among Dominican-Americans the onset of alcohol and other drug use among gang members incarcerated Latinas, alcohol, and other drug abuse rural Latino grandparents raising grandchildren of substance abusing parents alcohol use among Puerto Rican active injecting drug users alcohol and other drug abuse prevention for high-risk youth a case study of a Puerto Rican community in Massachusetts detailed recommendations for prevention and treatment Latinos and Alcohol Use/Abuse Revisited is a detailed examination of prevention and treatment programs for Latinos, invaluable for substance abuse professionals, social workers, practitioners, and professionals in charge of alcohol prevention and treatment programs.