Contextual influences on the drinking of male Latino immigrant day laborers

This study explored self-reported alcohol use of Mexican and Central American men who had recently migrated to the United States to work. Ethnographic observation took place at a day laborer hiring site in 2006-2007 and qualitative interviewing involved 120 men with divergent drinking patterns. Short interviews were conducted informally on the street, and interviews lasting 1-2 hours addressed day laborers' perspective about how life conditions shape where drinking takes place and how much alcohol gets consumed. Resulting situations, such as roommates bringing alcohol home for extended nights of drinking, and specific strategies used to avoid excess alcohol use are addressed.