The consumption of alcohol among men in rural Sarawak

This research examined sociocultural factors associated with alcohol use among men in rural Sarawak, Malaysia. A mixed methods design was used to explore the phenomenon of alcohol use among young men in rural villages in Kuching and Samarahan Districts, Sarawak. A questionnaire (161 participants), semi structured individual interviews (50 participants), and eight focus group discussions (46 participants) were conducted with men from Iban, Bidayuh, and Malay ethnicities, aged 18-30 years. The quantitative findings indicated different patterns of alcohol use among different ethnicities and religious groups. Iban men reported greater alcohol use than Bidayuh and Malay men, while Christian men (both Iban and Bidayuh) were more likely to drink than their Muslim counterparts. These drinking patterns were supported by the qualitative findings, which confirmed that binge drinking and drinking with the intention of getting drunk was a norm among Iban and Bidayuh (Christian) men. Although religion and ethnicity proved to be important factors related to alcohol use, religion and ethnicity interacted with age to better explain differences in alcohol use. Employment also played a role in alcohol use, with participants who were unemployed or employed in the private sector reporting heavier drinking than participants employed in the civil service. Results from the qualitative analyses showed that drinking normally occurs with friends during leisure time. Culture plays a role in drinking practices, as exemplified by the use of sadung (rounds) and the preference for traditional drinks including langkau (rice spirit) and tuak (rice wine) rather than commercial alcoholic drinks. The practice of kolek, money collection among friends in order to purchase alcohol, was common. Drinking is intense on hujung bulan (pay day). Religiosity, ethnic identity and masculinity were important in determining men’s alcohol use. Men’s drinking stories illustrate that langkau drinking represents characteristics of an embodied local hegemonic masculinity (images of being brave and strong, and of being ‘cool’ and ‘macho’), with langkau drinking a male-dominated activity associated with other risky behaviors, but langkau drinking was also associated with being mature. The links between langkau drinking and masculinity are reinforced through provocation – that is, men would provoke each other to drink, often heavily. Men’s reactions to this vary from refusal to being submissive in reaction to teasing and challenges to drink. In their interactions, men contradicted, modified and challenged the link between drinking and masculinity, and in certain contexts, were able to negotiate the relationship between masculinity and drinking and so limit the amount of alcohol consumed. This research corroborates the literature on alcohol use by illuminating the nature and extent of alcohol use among Iban and Bidayuh compared to Malay men. It highlights demographic factors such as religion, ethnicity, and employment status, the context of drinking, and sociocultural factors (masculinity, ethnic identity, and religiosity) related to drinking among men in specific rural areas in Sarawak. The employment of a mixed methods design in this research was potential to improve the validity of data and establish a comprehensive understanding of the context of drinking among young men in specific cultural contexts.