The use of alcohol by Vietnamese living in Melbourne, Australia

Abstract

Background: The size of the Vietnamese community residing in Melbourne, Australia has continued to grow steadily over the past decades; however, little is known about their level of alcohol consumption. Aims: To collect data on alcohol consumption and consider the impact of demographic variables such as age and gender. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 1080 people recruited through Vietnamese organizations and the media. The survey questions were drawn from existing and validated instruments and demographic questions such as age and gender. Results: The findings suggest that Vietnamese Australians in Melbourne consume alcohol at a lower rate than the general population, but higher than the Vietnamese community in Sydney and Western Australia. Conclusions: Due to the limited research in this field, these findings make an important contribution to understanding the alcohol consumption patterns of Vietnamese Australians.