Content, perceptions and impact of alcoholic drink promotions in nightlife venues that are targeted towards students

The perceived impact that alcohol policy could have on Brazilian and British students' pre-drinking behaviour

BACKGROUND

Evidence on how pre-drinking (i.e., drinking in private or in unlicensed settings before going out) varies across cultures and its implications for defining policies and prevention strategies is needed. We explored the perceived impact that various alcohol policies could have on pre-drinking practices amongst Brazilian and British students that pre-drink.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, online survey amongst student drinkers aged 18-29 in England (N = 387) and Brazil (N = 1,048) explored sociodemographic, pre-drinking habits, and attitudes towards alcohol policies (increasing prices, regulating availability, and restricting promotions).

RESULTS

A greater proportion of British students were aged between 18 and 21 years old (67.2%) than Brazilian students (45.2%; p < 0.001). More British (ENG 85.8%) than Brazilian (BRA 44.8%, p < 0.001) students reported pre-drinking. Pre-drinkers' main motivation was to save money (BRA 66.5%, ENG 46.2%, p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, in Brazil, male (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.53, CI: 1.04-2.24) and white (OR: 1.60, CI: 1.03-2.49) pre-drinkers were more likely to believe that increasing prices policies could reduce their pre-drinking habits. In Brazil, white pre-drinkers (OR: 1.86, CI: 1.10-3.15) were more likely to believe that restricting alcohol promotions policies could reduce their pre-drinking habits. Regarding the perceived impact that the combined alcohol policies could have on students' pre-drinking practice, only in Brazil there were significant statistical results.

CONCLUSIONS

Whilst in Brazil none of the investigated alcohol policies are currently implemented, more Brazilian pre-drinkers believed that such legislation could reduce their pre-drinking practices (when compared with British pre-drinkers). These data may help legislators and stakeholders to better understand the characteristics of a more acceptable alcohol policy amongst university students.

Factors associated with attending "open bar" parties amongst early adolescents

BACKGROUND

"Open bar" parties are events where a flat fee is paid for unlimited alcohol consumption. At these events, alcohol intoxication is frequent amongst attendees. This study explored the prevalence of "open bar" attendance amongst Brazilian youth and the factors associated with this practice.

METHODS

Data was collected at the baseline of randomized controlled trial amongst 5,213 8th grade students in three Brazilian cities. Weighted logistic regression was performed.

RESULTS

Mean age was of 13.23 years (SE 0.01) and 17.1% of the students have reported attending "open bar" events in the past year. Attendees were wealthier, had higher odds to engage in binge drinking, to use marijuana, to be exposed to alcohol advertising, and to report more alcohol problems and clinical psychiatric symptoms when compared with non-attendees.

CONCLUSIONS

The ban on selling alcohol to minors has not been properly enforced. Legislation to restrict alcohol promotions and advertising in Brazil needs to be implemented and effectively monitored.

Effects of multi-component programmes in preventing sales of alcohol to intoxicated patrons in nightlife settings in the United Kingdom

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Alcohol service to intoxicated patrons in nightlife settings is common.

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Multi-component interventions can prevent alcohol over-service.

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Effects are stronger for interventions including enhanced law enforcement.

Introduction

Alcohol service to intoxicated patrons is common across nightlife settings and preventing such sales is a key priority globally. In England and Wales, three multi-component programmes have been implemented including: (1) community mobilisation, responsible beverage server (RBS) training and routine law enforcement; (2) community mobilisation and enhanced law enforcement; and, (3) community mobilisation, RBS training and enhanced law enforcement. This study estimates the association between sales of alcohol to pseudo-intoxicated patrons and implementation of three multi-component interventions in four nightlife settings.

Methods

Alcohol test purchases by pseudo-intoxicated actors were implemented at pre (n = 206) and post-intervention (n = 224). Actors/observers recorded venue and test purchase characteristics. Logistic regression assessed service refusal by intervention type, adjusting for venue/test purchase characteristics.

Results

Pre-intervention, 20.9% of sales were refused. Post-intervention, 42.1%, 68.8% and 74.0% of sales were refused in areas with intervention 1, 2, and 3 respectively. In adjusted analyses, compared to pre-intervention, the odds of service refusal were higher for all interventions, with the highest odds when the intervention included enhanced law enforcement (adjusted odds ratios, interventions 1, 2, 3: 2.6, 7.1, 14.4; p < 0.01). Service refusal was higher if the test purchase was implemented on a Saturday/Sunday night; and lower if implemented in a nightclub or if age verification was requested at the bar.

Conclusion

Community-based multi-component interventions were associated with significant increases in service refusal to pseudo-intoxicated actors in nightlife settings in England and Wales. Effects were stronger for interventions including enhanced law enforcement, and particularly if all intervention components were implemented.

Pre-drinking, alcohol consumption and related harms amongst Brazilian and British university students

Drinking in private or other unlicensed settings before going out (i.e., pre-drinking) is increasingly being identified as a common behaviour amongst students as it provides an opportunity to extend their drinking duration and socialise. However, studies suggest associations between pre-drinking and alcohol-related harms. This study examines Brazilian and British university students’ pre-drinking patterns and associations with nightlife-related harms amongst drinkers. A total of 1,151 Brazilian and 424 British students (aged 18+ years) completed an online survey. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic variables, nightlife drinking behaviour including pre-drinking and past 12 months experience of alcohol-related harms. Most participants were female (BRA 59.1%, ENG 65.3%; p = 0.027), undergraduate students (BRA 88.2%, ENG 71.2%; p<0.001) and aged 18–25 years (BRA 78.8%, ENG 81.5%; p<0.001). Pre-drinking was more prevalent in England (82.8%) than Brazil (44.0%; p<0.001), yet Brazilian students drank more units of alcohol than British students when pre-drinking (BRA 17.6, ENG 12.1; p<0.001). In multi-variate analyses, pre-drinking was significantly associated with increased odds of experiencing a range of harms across both countries (e.g., blackouts; failing to attend university), with the strength of associations varying between countries. Pre-drinking in Brazil and in England is an important event before going out amongst university students, however our study shows it is associated with a range of harms in both countries. Thus, preventing pre-drinking may be a crucial strategy to reduce excessive alcohol consumption and related harms in the nightlife context across countries with diverse nightlife environments and alcohol drinking cultures.