Alcohol, transitions and communities of belonging within marginalised groups – towards a model of understanding.

The research reported in this paper explored the complex role that communities play in alcohol related harm and recovery by focussing on marginalised communities, namely LGBTQ+, Eastern European and South Asian that reflected national and locally identified need and knowledge gaps. Located in five geographical areas in the UK including rural and urban settings, the research explored how belonging may contibute to more or less drinking in these communities and the possiblities for alcohol related behaviour change within a community of belonging.
In each of the areas we recruited and trained local community researchers from the communities involved, geographical and belonging. Data collection had three parts, an interview exploring a participant's drinking career based around a participant created graph (n23), a walk about or go along interviewexploring the place of drinking (n14) and a contextual interview with participant identified frinds, family or other community members (n2). Following transcription, the interviews were subject to Framework Analysis (Gale et al 2013). The findings were shared with Professional and Community Advisory groups, along with community researchers, to test validation.
By offering a comparative study across three groups, whilst acknowledging the difference, conflict and intersectionality of disadvantage within groups, we identify common and different group norms that support drinking in the different communities. Data analysis indicated the importance of both belonging, and transition points related to belonging, for each of the communities studied and the potential consequences for alcohol services.
Developed iteratively from the research data this paper presents a model which seeks to explain the role alcohol plays in the process of transition into and within communities of belonging and the potential trigger points for dangerous drinking, Findings indicate that community identification  is not a static moment in time but rather a fluid and active process informed by transition points into and out of communities. Such transitions could be challenging and associated with excessive and dangerous drinking, reinforced by the potentially adverse drinking norms within a community.
Belonging could be a source of strength but also a souce of alcohol harm, help with which would not be sought form alcohol services but rather from within the community. We conclude that in these marginalised groups community based interventions which acknowledge the importance of transition may be more effective than individual therapeutic interventions.