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. 2016 Nov 2;11(11):e0165858.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165858. eCollection 2016.

Cultural Orientation and Its Associations with Alcohol Use by University Students in China

Shiyuan Wang  1 , Ian M Newman  1 , Duane F Shell  1
Affiliations

Cultural Orientation and Its Associations with Alcohol Use by University Students in China

Shiyuan Wang et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Cultural orientation is defined as an individual's cultural preferences when encountering imported culture while still living in the native culture. Data was analyzed from 1305 Chinese university students attending universities in Beijing, Kunming, and Wuhan. Cultural orientation was assessed with the Chinese Cultural Orientation Questionnaire, which assesses both Western and Traditional Chinese cultural orientations. The analysis used hierarchical logistic regression with nondrinkers as the reference group and controlling for demographic factors (age, gender, and urban/rural background). Western cultural orientation was found to significantly increase the odds of recent drinking. The results indicated that higher Western cultural orientation was, after gender, the second most important factor associated with Chinese college student drinking frequency. Traditional Chinese cultural orientation was not associated with drinking frequency. This study highlights an unexpected outcome of globalization on students who have not left their home cultures.

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Conflict of interest statement

Shiyuan Wang has no competing interests to declare. Prior to 2014 Ian Newman was a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the International Center for Alcohol Policies, Washington, D.C, prior to 2014 he received fees and trave support to attend meetings sponsored or co-sponsored by the International Center for Alcohol Policies. Prior to 2013 Ian Newman consulted for the National Health Education Institute, Chinese CDC, Chineses Center for Health Education (CCHE). In the past 5 years, he received fees and travel support to attend meetings sponsored or co-sponsored by the International Center for Alcohol Policies. Ian Newman has consulted for the National Health Education Institute, Chinese CDC, Chinese Center for Health Education (CCHE)/Health News & Communication Center, Ministry of Health (HNCC, MOH). In the past 5 years, he has received University of Nebraska employment related funding from the U.S. Department of Education, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Nebraska Department of Roads/Nebraska Office of Highway Safety. As American deputy director of the American Exchange Center at Xi’an Jiaotong University, Newman received funds from the US State Department and the University of Nebraska. Ian Newman owns an equity interest in the The Buffalo Beach Company (Lincoln, Nebraska) and has received consulting fees from The Buffalo Beach Company for independent research on indigenous alcohol use and traffic safety. Duane Shell has consulted for the National Institute for Health Education, Chinese CDC and received honorarium and travel support. In the past 5 years, Duane Shell has received university employment related funding through grants from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Office of Research, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. He has received private consulting funds from the Buffalo Beach Company, Lincoln, NE, and the St. Elizabeth Foundation, Lincoln, NE. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

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