Alcohol and social work: Context and meanings

Abstract

There is little research available about alcohol use among social workers in Canada. This mixedmethodology study seeks to address gaps in research regarding alcohol use among social workers in Saskatchewan. Social workers in Saskatchewan were invited to participate in an online survey that collected quantitative data including demographic information, alcohol consumption, adverse childhood experiences, and professional quality of life. Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews to capture the meanings social workers attribute to their experiences of alcohol use. The survey found that the overall alcohol consumption of Saskatchewan social workers may be lower than that of the general Canadian population. The survey also found find higher rates of adverse childhood experiences and mental health issues among Saskatchewan social workers than the general Canadian population. The qualitative interviews found that social workers in Saskatchewan worry about the potential negative consequences of alcohol use as a coping mechanism for stress and feel a dissonance between perceived social norms of alcohol use and what alcohol use means to them in their role as social workers. Key words: Social work; alcohol use; alcohol misuse; Saskatchewan; mental health