Many of us enjoy a drink at the end of a stressful day. But for some, this is less of a discretionary treat and more of a nightly must-have.

While alcohol reduction campaigns ask us to check our relationship with alcohol, emphasising the role it can play in causing violence and disease, our research has found many Australian women view alcohol in a different way. Many don’t see it as only a bad thing and have complex reasons for their relationships with alcohol.

We conducted 50 interviews with midlife women (aged 45–64) from different social classes living in SA. All women had a relationship with alcohol, but the nature of the relationship was different according to their social class.

Our study, published in the journal Health Promotion International, suggests that the problem for public health lies in the circumstances that shape women’s lives and lead to a relationship with alcohol.