'I have a healthy relationship with alcohol': Australian midlife women, alcohol consumption and social class.

2022-08-01

Lunnay, Belinda

Foley, Kristen

Meyer, Samantha B

Miller, Emma R

Warin, Megan

Wilson, Carlene J

Olver, Ian N

Batchelor, Samantha

Thomas, Jessica A

Ward, Paul R

alcohol

disease prevention

social class

women

Journal Article

0000-0002-9103-0445

0000-0002-8169-8652

0000-0001-6245-6060

0000-0002-1883-4690

10.1093/heapro/daac097

Alcohol consumption by Australian women during midlife has been increasing. Health promotion efforts to reduce alcohol consumption in order to reduce alcohol-related disease risk compete with the social contexts and value of alcohol in women's lives. This paper draws on 50 qualitative interviews with midlife women (45-64 years of age) from different social classes living in South Australia in order to gain an understanding of how and why women might justify their relationships with alcohol. Social class shaped and characterized the different types of relationships with alcohol available to women, structuring their logic for consuming alcohol and their ability to consider reducing (or 'breaking up with') alcohol. We identified more agentic relationships with alcohol in the narratives of affluent women. We identified a tendency for less control over alcohol-related decisions in the narratives of women with less privileged life chances, suggesting greater challenges in changing drinking patterns. If classed differences are not attended to in health promotion efforts, this might mitigate the effectiveness of alcohol risk messaging to women.

link

Health Promotion International 2022; 37(4)

Health Promotion International