Key findings:
• While the research literature reports high levels of abstention from alcohol across minority communities, service providers argue the prevalence of problematic alcohol use is under-estimated which impacts on funding for these specialist service providers.
• There is no single ‘best’ means of providing interventions to minority communities, what people are likely to engage with differs between and within communities.
• Some factors were identified in the literature and in interviews as increasing the risk of problematic alcohol use including: experiences of multiple exclusion; younger age; in some communities older males were at higher risk due to social perceptions of masculinity; and the hidden nature of women’s drinking across cultures could increase harmful use.
• Key facilitators to accessing support included: providing materials in community language and broadcasters (e.g. Asian radio); including community members in developing services; emphasising confidentiality of services; raising awareness; peer led support; and being flexible and responding to changing community needs.