Journal of Studies on Alcohol
Volume 46, Issue 5, 1985, Pages 403-411

Alcohol use among migrant laborers in western New York (Article)

Watson J. , Mattera G. , Morales R. , Kunitz S.J. , Lynch R.
  • a Department of Sociology, State University of New York, Geneseo, NY 14454, United States
  • b Department of Sociology, State University of New York, Geneseo, NY 14454, United States
  • c Department of Sociology, State University of New York, Geneseo, NY 14454, United States
  • d [Affiliation not available]
  • e [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

A survey of alcohol use among 217 Black and Haitian migrant agricultural workers was conducted in 13 camps in three counties of upstate New York. The orienting hypothesis stated that older, unattached men account for much of the drinking on migrant camps and that older, unattached men have experienced a variety of personal troubles as a result of their drinking. The results of the survey were found to support the initial hypothesis. In camps composed primarily of family groups, social control mechanisms were found to be more highly developed than in camps composed primarily of unattached, isolated men. It was also found that this difference in degree of social control was reflected in differences of drinking behavior. It is suggested that the mechanization of agriculture has become a self-reinforcing process that results in a proportional increase in the use of the homeless and troubled as a source of low-cost agricultural labor.

Author Keywords

[No Keywords available]

Index Keywords

social control social aspect intoxication ethnic or racial aspects major clinical study adult alcoholism social structure psychological aspect migrant worker United States foreign worker human epidemiology family migration
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0022412869&doi=10.15288%2fjsa.1985.46.403&partnerID=40&md5=8dadd514772907833d59108360bd7855
DOI: 10.15288/jsa.1985.46.403
ISSN: 0096882X
Cited by: 15
Original Language: English