Alcohol use by people with an intellectual disability in Aotearoa/New Zealand: The protective influence of family and social and support networks

Accessible summary People with an intellectual disability are able to drink alcohol. We talked to 10 people in New Zealand about their experiences of drinking alcohol. Small amounts of alcohol were drunk. Family and friends influenced the amount drunk. Television programmes and advertising also influenced the amount drunk. Background The move to community living has increased access to alcohol for people with an intellectual disability. The literature on alcohol usage in this population is sparse, and no research has investigated the experience of alcohol consumption in Aotearoa/New Zealand for people with an intellectual disability. Methods The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences and patterns of alcohol use amongst individuals with a mild intellectual disability living in the community in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Ten people who self-identified as consuming alcohol were recruited through a self-advocacy group. Following semi-structured interviews with each person, transcripts were qualitatively analysed using Braun and Clarke's (Qualitative Research in Psychology, 2006, 3, 77) approach to identify the main themes. Results Two major themes were identified. The theme "Drinking Patterns" recognised a low level of alcohol consumption amongst the participants, while the second theme "Influences on Drinking Behaviour" demonstrated the importance of their social network on promoting and reinforcing low levels of alcohol consumption as well as the influence of television and advertising. Conclusion The social and support network operates as a key protective factor influencing the low levels of alcohol consumption by people with an intellectual disability reported in this study.