Factors affecting the tendency to alcohol consumption in Iran from the consumers’ perspective: a qualitative thematic analysis

Iran has strict anti-alcohol laws that prohibit the consumption of alcohol. Although no detailed statistics are available on alcohol consumption in Iran, anecdotally, it has increased, with the sale of 511 million liters of alcohol per year. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that increase the likelihood of alcohol consumption in Iran. We used a qualitative thematic analysis approach in this study. The collection and analysis of data continued until saturation was reached and patterns were repeated. As a result, 21 alcohol consumers were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. To maintain trustworthiness, Morse’s criteria were applied, including credibility, transferability, and confirmability. The number of male and female participants was approximately equal, and over 70% held a university degree. The average duration of alcohol use among participants was 6.2 years. Data analysis resulted in 35 final codes, 11 subthemes, and four themes: (1) Political factors, including civil disobedience and government neglect sub-themes (2) Social factors, including demographic factors, contextual factors, situational awareness, and social influence sub-themes (3) Cultural factors, including social identity and cultural change sub-themes, and (4) Psychological factors, including social needs, coping strategies, and individual needs sub-themes. Alcohol consumption in Iran is influenced by political, cultural, social, and psychological factors. Reducing the tendency to consume alcohol requires raising awareness about its consequences and providing structured coping-skills training.