Typology of Canadian Alcohol Users: Relationships Between Use, Context, and Motivation to Drink in the Definition of Drinking Profiles. (September 2015) - Fortin, Marilyn
Objectives: The aim of this paper is to propose a multidimensional typology of drinking in Canada according to use, contexts, and motivations to drink, and to explore the extent to which these profiles are associated with gender and age. Methods: Data are drawn from the 2005 Canadian Survey as part of the project "Gender, Alcohol, and Culture: An International Study." The subsample consisted of 876 men and 848 women. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were undertaken to ascertain drinking profiles. Results: MCA and HCA identified six sociocultural drinking profiles in which distinctive drinking patterns, contexts, and motivations were observed. Conclusions: The variability of drinking styles in Canadian society demonstrates cohabitation and hybridization of "wet" and "dry" cultures—"ideal types" of two drinking cultures. This study revealed the complexity of drinking practices among the Canadian population and the necessity of focusing on social dimensions in order to enhance our understanding of alcohol use.