Samoan adult males’ thoughts and perspectives on factors that support responsible alcohol use and abstinence

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the perspectives of adult Samoan males in New Zealand on factors that support responsible alcohol use and abstinence, with the aim of identifying possible solutions to supporting them in their hazardous drinking recovery. The Fonofale model (Pulotu-Endemann, 2009) was used as the basis of the study, which defines Samoan well-being holistically in terms of physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual aspects. Design/methodology/approach Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 former service users, between the ages of 46 and 68 years, of a Pacific alcohol and drug treatment service, using a Talanoa approach (Vaioleti, 2016). A general inductive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2021) was then used to identify themes. Findings Five main broad themes emerged from the study. These included areas such as impacts of hazardous drinking, factors likely to increase risk of increased drinking or act as protective factors against it, as well as the benefits of abstinence or decreased drinking. Feedback was also given about the role played by the Pacific alcohol and other drug service. Research limitations/implications Due to the relatively small sample size, the results of this exploratory study have limited generalisability. Results will likely be useful for consideration when working with collective indigenous cultures who experience addiction issues. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only qualitative Talanoa study to gain in-depth knowledge about factors contributing to dangerous drinking for older Samoan men, and to gain insight into what enabled them to reduce or abstain from drinking.