Title
Policy-relevant behaviours predict heavier drinking and mediate the relationship with age, gender and education status: Analysis from the International Alcohol Control Study
Date Issued
01 August 2018
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Casswell S.
Huckle T.
Wall M.
Parker K.
Chaiyasong S.
Parry C.D.H.
Viet Cuong P.
Gray-Phillip G.
Publisher(s)
Blackwell Publishing
Abstract
Introduction and Aims: To investigate behaviours related to four alcohol policy variables (policy-relevant behaviours) and demographic variables in relation to typical quantities of alcohol consumed on-premise in six International Alcohol Control study countries. Design and Methods: General population surveys with drinkers using a comparable survey instrument and data analysed using path analysis in an overall model and for each country. Measures: typical quantities per occasion consumed on-premise; gender, age; years of education, prices paid, time of purchase, time to access alcohol and liking for alcohol advertisements. Results: In the overall model younger people, males and those with fewer years of education consumed larger typical quantities. Overall lower prices paid, later time of purchase and liking for alcohol ads predicted consuming larger typical quantities; this was found in the high-income countries, less consistently in the high-middle-income countries and not in the low middle-income country. Three policy-relevant behaviours (prices paid, time of purchase, liking for alcohol ads) mediated the relationships between age, gender, education and consumption in high-income countries. Discussion and Conclusions: International Alcohol Control survey data showed a relationship between policy-relevant behaviours and typical quantities consumed and support the likely effect of policy change (trading hours, price and restrictions on marketing) on heavier drinking. The path analysis also revealed policy-relevant behaviours were significant mediating variables between the effect of age, gender and educational status on consumption. However, this relationship is clearest in high-income countries. Further research is required to understand better how circumstances in low-middle-income countries impact effects of policies.
Start page
S86
End page
S95
Volume
37
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Salud pública, Salud ambiental
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85042197900
PubMed ID
Source
Drug and Alcohol Review
Resource of which it is part
Drug and Alcohol Review
ISSN of the container
09595236
Source funding
International Development Research Centre
Sponsor(s)
The data used in this paper are from the International Alcohol Control Study, led by Professor Sally Casswell. The IAC core survey questionnaire was largely developed by researchers at the SHORE & Whāriki Research Centre, College of Health, Massey University, New Zealand, with funding from the Health Promotion Agency, New Zealand. Further development involved collaboration between UK, Thai, Korean and New Zealand researchers. The funding sources for data sets used in this article for each country are: Australia – Australian National Preventive Health Agency and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education; New Zealand – The Health Promotion Agency and Health Research Council of New Zealand; St Kitts/Nevis – International Development Research Centre, Canada; Peru – International Development Research Centre, Canada; Thailand – International Health Policy Program, Thai Health; South Africa – South African Medical Research Council and International Development Research Centre, Canada; Vietnam – International Development Research Centre, Canada. We would also like to acknowledge support from UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, the excellent work of the interviewers and their supervisors and the time given by the survey respondents.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus