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Sersli S, Shareck M. Is alcohol outlet availability associated with binge drinking in Canadian young adults? Findings from British Columbia and Quebec. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2024:10.17269/s41997-024-00905-6. [PMID: 38918359 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-024-00905-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Alcohol availability is associated with alcohol consumption and related harms, but there is less evidence on associations with heavy episodic drinking (HED), a drinking pattern prevalent among young adults. This study aimed to assess the associations between alcohol availability and HED among young Canadians. METHODS We used a population-based sample of Canadian urban-dwelling young adult drinkers (18‒29 years) from the cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS; cycles 2015‒2019). We linked data from CCHS respondents in British Columbia and Quebec with two measures of alcohol availability for both offsite and onsite outlets: density (AOD) and accessibility (SAI) within dissemination areas (N = 1,067,747). We used logistic regression to estimate the associations between alcohol availability and monthly HED, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS The associations between availability and HED differed by province, and availability measure. In British Columbia, offsite and onsite accessibility using SAI was inversely associated with HED. For example, living in neighbourhoods with medium alcohol accessibility (as compared to low) was significantly associated with reduced odds of HED (offsite OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.17‒0.64; onsite OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.27‒0.89). In Quebec, offsite availability was positively associated with HED using SAI (although not statistically significant) while no clear trend was seen for onsite availability. CONCLUSION Results were consistent with previous evidence. Restricting spatial availability of alcohol remains an important public health strategy for decreasing the ease/convenience of access. Understanding why patterns of availability and drinking differ across regions could inform regionally tailored policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Sersli
- Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Département des sciences de la santé communautaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS), Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Martine Shareck
- Faculté de médecine et des sciences de la santé, Département des sciences de la santé communautaire, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS), Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
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Bailey A, Graham B, Harps M, Sedore G. Vancouver's Alcohol Knowledge Exchange: lessons learned from creating a peer-involved alcohol harm reduction strategy in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:93. [PMID: 37495993 PMCID: PMC10373358 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00838-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite high rates of harm attributable to alcohol use itself and the associated marginalization of illicit drinkers in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES), alcohol-specific harm reduction services there are under-resourced and highly disconnected from one another. In response to these conditions and high rates of death amongst its membership, the Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education, an affiliate group of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, convened a regular meeting of stakeholders, termed a "community of practice" in 2019 to bring together peers who used beverage and non-beverage alcohol, shelter and harm reduction service providers, public health professionals, clinicians, and policymakers to improve system-level capacity to reduce alcohol-related harm. The discussions that followed from these meetings were transformed into the Vancouver Alcohol Strategy (VAS), a comprehensive, harm reduction-oriented policy framework for alcohol harm reduction in the DTES. This article highlights our experiences producing community-led alcohol policy through the VAS with specific attention to the ways in which people who use alcohol themselves were centred throughout the policy development process. We also provide summary overviews of each of the VAS document's 6 thematic areas for action, highlighting a sampling of the 47 total unique recommendations. Historically, people who use non-beverage alcohol and whose use of alcohol in public spaces is criminalized due to housing precarity and visible poverty have been excluded from the development of population-level alcohol policies that can harm this specific population. The process of policy development undertaken by the VAS has attempted to resist this top-down approach to public health policy development related to alcohol control by intentionally creating space for people with lived experience to guide our recommendations. We conclude by suggesting that a grassroots enthusiasm for harm reduction focused policy development exists in Vancouver's DTES, and requires resources from governmental public health institutions to meaningfully prevent and reduce alcohol-related and policy-induced harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Bailey
- Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada.
| | - Brittany Graham
- Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
| | - Myles Harps
- Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
| | - George Sedore
- Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
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LoParco CR, Walker A, Livingston MD, Khoshhal B, Gonzalez-Pons KM, Soule E, Treffers R, Rossheim ME. A national assessment of on-premise drinking establishments near public universities: Drink prices, drink specials, indoor tobacco use, and state-level alcohol laws. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:2068-2076. [PMID: 36098371 PMCID: PMC9743012 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Inexpensive drinks and price promotions increase alcohol consumption and have been observed at on-premise drinking establishments near large colleges. Some bars may sell tobacco products and allow indoor tobacco use to encourage patrons to stay and drink more. This study examined drink prices/specials and associated practices of on-premise drinking establishments including tobacco sales and policies regarding tobacco use. METHODS In 2018, telephone calls about prices/practices were made to 403 randomly selected bars/nightclubs within 2 miles of large residential universities in each U.S. state. The Alcohol Policy Information System provided data on state-level alcohol laws. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models examined associations between alcohol prices/specials, state laws, and establishment practices. RESULTS The average price for the least expensive draft beer and a vodka shot at each location were $3.62 (SD = $1.15) and $4.77 (SD = $1.16), respectively. Most establishments (65%) had happy hour specials, 6% had 2-for-1 specials, 91% sold food, 9% sold cigarettes, 8% allowed smoking indoors, and 18% permitted electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use indoors. Allowing e-cigarette use indoors (b = -0.54) and selling cigarettes (b = -0.79) were associated with lower vodka prices; allowing cigarette smoking indoors (b = -0.46) was associated with lower beer prices. Lower beer prices (OR = 1.38), selling food (OR = 2.97), and no state law banning happy hour specials altogether (OR = 4.24) or with full-day price reduction exemptions (OR = 12.74) were associated with higher odds of having happy hour specials. Allowing e-cigarette use indoors was associated with having 2-for-1 specials (OR = 6.38). CONCLUSION In bars near large public universities, beers and shots were often available for less than $5 and drink specials were prevalent. Further, some establishments allowed tobacco use indoors and/or sold cigarettes. Laws that increase alcohol taxes, set minimum drink prices, and ban the sale and indoor use of tobacco products at on-premise drinking locations are important harm reduction tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassidy R LoParco
- School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Bita Khoshhal
- College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Eric Soule
- College of Health and Human Performance, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ryan Treffers
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew E Rossheim
- School of Public Health, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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4
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Ghanem L, Lee JP, Sumetsky N, Pagano A, Gruenewald P, Mair C. Place management in off-premise alcohol outlets: Results of a multi-methods study in a six-city California area. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2020; 80:102735. [PMID: 32416539 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Associations between neighborhood crime and alcohol outlets are often theorized as resulting from poor place management. Barriers and supports to place management have been examined for on-premise (bars, restaurants) but not for off-premise alcohol outlets. Few studies have assessed place management issues across a range of off-premise outlet and neighborhood types, and none have included the perspectives of off-premise outlet managers themselves. Combining qualitative and quantitative methods within an ethnographic approach, we investigated barriers and supports to place management across off-premise outlets in a large urban area. METHODS We unobtrusively assessed outlet operating characteristics including crime prevention strategies at all 403 off-premise outlets in six contiguous California cities; interviewed managers in 40 outlets; and conducted extensive naturalistic observations in 15 of these 40 outlets. We analyzed data for frequencies and thematic content. RESULTS Small and independently operated off-premise outlets were the most common type of outlet in our study, but demonstrated fewer resources and more challenges to place management compared to large and chain establishments. Security guards were more observed in large and chain outlets. Small and independent outlets were more likely to post signs prohibiting loitering and to enable surveillance of interior spaces. Problems most commonly cited by managers were theft and loitering. Challenges to place management included physical and verbal threats from customers and intoxicated persons, and insufficient law enforcement. Managers evidenced some ability to assert authority over interior, private space, but less so over exterior, public space. CONCLUSIONS Although tasked with maintaining public health and safety, small and independent store managers reported challenges that are seldom acknowledged in policy or research literature. Managers may provide valuable insights on preventing and reducing neighborhood-level problems associated with off-premise alcohol outlets. Local communities should consider enhancing place management resources for managers of small and independent outlets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Ghanem
- Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 2150 Shattuck Avenue #601, Berkeley CA 94704, United States.
| | - Juliet P Lee
- Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 2150 Shattuck Avenue #601, Berkeley CA 94704, United States.
| | - Natalie Sumetsky
- School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 6136 Public Health, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
| | - Anna Pagano
- Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 2150 Shattuck Avenue #601, Berkeley CA 94704, United States.
| | - Paul Gruenewald
- Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, 2150 Shattuck Avenue #601, Berkeley CA 94704, United States.
| | - Christina Mair
- School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 6136 Public Health, 130 DeSoto Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, United States.
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5
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Williams E, Kerr WC, Barnett SBL. Price Changes in Washington Following the 2012 Liquor Privatization: An Update Through 2016 With Comparisons to California, Idaho, and Oregon. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 44:501-510. [PMID: 31851383 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Washington State ended their wholesale and retail monopoly on liquor on June 1, 2012, resulting in a 5-fold increase in liquor outlets in diverse store types. The legislation also included taxes at the wholesale and retail levels. This study seeks to investigate whether prices have changed from 2014 through 2016, as a follow-up to a previous study finding increases in prices from 2012 to 2014, compared to prices in other states. METHODS We developed an index of 68 brands that were popular in Washington in early 2012. Data on final liquor prices (including taxes) in Washington and California were obtained through store visits and online sources between November 2013 and March 2014, and again between April and May 2016 for Washington only. Pricing data for Idaho and Oregon were obtained from the Statistics for Alcohol Management Database over both sampling periods. Primary analyses were conducted on the utmost brands available in the majority of the stores sampled. RESULTS Liquor prices in Washington rose an average of 3.9% for 750 ml and 6.5% for 1.75-l containers overall from 2014 to 2016, while bordering states Idaho (+2.9%) and Oregon (+1.5%) experienced smaller increases for 750-ml and declines for 1.75-l containers (Idaho: -2.9%, Oregon: -4.9%). In the analyses of spirits prices in Washington compared to California, prices in California were 24.1% lower for 750-ml containers and 29.6% lower for 1.75-l containers. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate liquor prices in Washington have increased since our 2014 assessment at a larger percentage than prices in the neighboring control states Oregon and Idaho, with varying effects on brands, container sizes, and store types. We demonstrate privatization is associated with a different pattern of prices across store types than seen in California.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwina Williams
- Public Health Institute, Alcohol Research Group, Emeryville, California
| | - William C Kerr
- Public Health Institute, Alcohol Research Group, Emeryville, California
| | - Sarah Beth L Barnett
- Public Health Institute, Alcohol Research Group, Emeryville, California.,University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California
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Ventura-Cots M, Ballester-Ferré MP, Ravi S, Bataller R. Public health policies and alcohol-related liver disease. JHEP Rep 2019; 1:403-413. [PMID: 32039391 PMCID: PMC7005647 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) represents a major public health problem worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, the highest levels of per capita alcohol consumption are observed in countries of the European Region. Alcohol consumption is also alarmingly increasing in developing countries. ALD is one of the main contributors to the burden of alcohol-attributable deaths and disability. In the United States, severe forms of ALD such alcoholic hepatitis have increased in the last decade and in the United Kingdom, three-quarters of liver-related mortality results from alcohol consumption. Besides genetic factors, there is strong evidence that the amount of alcohol consumed plays a major role in the development of advanced ALD. Establishing effective public health policies is therefore mandatory to reduce the burden of ALD. Since the 90s, major public health institutions and governments have developed a variety of policies in order to reduce the harm caused by excessive drinking. These policies encompass multiple factors, from pricing and taxation to advertising regulation. Measures focused on taxation and price regulation have been shown to be the most effective at reducing alcohol-related mortality. However, there are few studies focused on the effect of public policies on ALD. This review article summarises the factors influencing ALD burden and the role of different public health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meritxell Ventura-Cots
- Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Samhita Ravi
- Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ramon Bataller
- Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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7
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Martin G, Inchley J, Marshall A, Shortt N, Currie C. The neighbourhood social environment and alcohol use among urban and rural Scottish adolescents. Int J Public Health 2019; 64:95-105. [PMID: 30511169 PMCID: PMC6353998 DOI: 10.1007/s00038-018-1181-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This research examined the relationship between neighbourhood social environmental characteristics and drinking outcomes among a sample of urban and rural adolescents. METHODS From a sample of 1558 Scottish secondary schoolchildren, surveyed as part of the 2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, we modelled three drinking outcomes on a variety of neighbourhood conditions, including social cohesion, disorder, alcohol outlet density, deprivation, and urban/rurality. Nested and cross-classified multilevel logistic regressions were specified. RESULTS An urban-to-rural gradient was found with non-urban adolescents exhibiting higher odds of having ever drank. Neighbourhood social cohesion related to having ever drank. Among drinkers, those living in accessible small towns had higher odds of weekly drinking and drunkenness compared to urban areas. Higher odds of drunkenness were also found in remote rural areas. Those residing in the least deprived areas had lower odds of weekly drinking. CONCLUSIONS In Scotland, inequalities exist in adolescent alcohol use by urban/rurality and neighbourhood social conditions. Findings support regional targeting of public health efforts to address inequalities. Future work is needed to develop and evaluate intervention and prevention approaches for neighbourhoods at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Martin
- Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TF UK
| | - Joanna Inchley
- Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TF UK
| | - Alan Marshall
- Social Policy, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9LD UK
| | - Niamh Shortt
- Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health, School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP UK
| | - Candace Currie
- Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9TF UK
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8
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Shortt NK, Rind E, Pearce J, Mitchell R, Curtis S. Alcohol risk environments, vulnerability and social inequalities in alcohol consumption. ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GEOGRAPHERS 2018; 108:1210-1227. [PMID: 32154488 PMCID: PMC7062511 DOI: 10.1080/24694452.2018.1431105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol and alcohol related harm are key public health challenges. Research has shown that individual level factors, such as age and sex, are important predictors of alcohol consumption, but such factors provide only a partial account of the drivers of consumption. In this paper we argue that individual level factors interact with features of the 'risk environment' to increase the vulnerability of individuals to such environments. Features of the alcohol 'risk environment' include the density of alcohol premises in a neighbourhood. Previous research has shown that neighbourhoods with a higher density of alcohol outlets have higher levels of both alcohol consumption and alcohol related harm. There has however been a distinct lack of attention paid to the differential ways in which particular socio-demographic groups may be more vulnerable to such 'risk environments'. In this paper we address the risk environment through a primary focus on the local supply and availability of alcohol products (captured using a measure of outlet density) and the relationship with the harmful use of alcohol. Using responses to the Scottish Health Survey (2008-2011) we explore vulnerability through the interaction between individual level socio-economic position, measured using household income, and environmental risk to assess differential social vulnerability to such environments. We report findings showing that those in the lowest income groups may be disproportionately affected by outlet density. This evidence suggests that risk environments may not affect us all equally and that there may be socially differentiated vulnerability to such environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niamh K Shortt
- Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, UK, EH8 9XP
| | - Esther Rind
- Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine & Health Services Research, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Jamie Pearce
- Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh, UK, EH8 9XP
| | - Richard Mitchell
- MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK, G2 3QB
| | - Sarah Curtis
- Department of Geography, Durham University, Durham, UK, DH1 3LE
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The effect of short-term alcohol restriction on risk of alcohol-related injury: A state wide population-based study. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2016; 28:55-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2015] [Revised: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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Density and proximity of tobacco outlets to homes and schools: relations with youth cigarette smoking. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2015; 15:738-44. [PMID: 24254336 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-013-0442-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the associations of youth cigarette smoking with tobacco outlet densities and proximity of tobacco outlets to youth homes and schools across different buffers in 45 midsized California communities. The sample comprised 832 youths who were surveyed about their smoking behaviors. Inclusion criteria included both home and school addresses within city boundaries. Observations in the 45 cities were conducted to document addresses of tobacco outlets. City- and buffer-level demographics were obtained and negative binomial regression analyses with cluster robust standard errors were conducted. All models were adjusted for youth gender, age, and race. Greater densities of tobacco outlets within both a 0.75 and 1-mile buffer of youth homes were associated with higher smoking frequency. Neither tobacco outlet densities around schools nor distance to the nearest tobacco outlet from home or school were associated with youths past-30-day smoking frequency. Lower population density and percent of African Americans in areas around homes and lower percent of unemployed in areas around schools were associated with greater smoking frequency. Results of this study suggest that restricting outlet density within at least 1-mile surrounding residential areas will help to reduce youth smoking.
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Kerr WC, Williams E, Greenfield TK. Analysis of Price Changes in Washington Following the 2012 Liquor Privatization. Alcohol Alcohol 2015; 50:654-60. [PMID: 26109262 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agv067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS In June, 2012 the state of Washington ended a wholesale and retail monopoly on liquor sales resulting in about five times as many stores selling liquor. Three-tier restrictions were also removed on liquor, while beer and wine availability did not increase. Substantial taxes at both the wholesale and retail levels were implemented and it was expected that prices would rise. METHODS To evaluate price changes after privatization we developed an index of about 68 brands that were popular in Washington during early 2012. Data on final liquor prices (including all taxes) in Washington were obtained through store visits and on-line sources between November 2013 and March of 2014. Primary analyses were conducted on five or six brand indexes to allow the inclusion of most stores. RESULTS Washington liquor prices rose by an average of 15.5% for the 750 ml size and by 4.7% for the 1.75 l size, while only small changes were seen in the bordering states of Oregon and Idaho. Prices were found to vary greatly by store type. Liquor Superstores had generally the lowest prices while drugstore, grocery and especially smaller Liquor Store prices were found to be substantially higher. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that liquor prices in Washington increased substantially after privatization and as compared to price changes in bordering states, with a much larger increase seen for the 750 ml size and with wide variation across store types. However, persistent drinkers looking for low prices will be able to find them in certain stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C Kerr
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave., Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Edwina Williams
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave., Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
| | - Thomas K Greenfield
- Alcohol Research Group, Public Health Institute, 6475 Christie Ave., Suite 400, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
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12
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Morrison C, Ponicki WR, Smith K. Social disadvantage and exposure to lower priced alcohol in off-premise outlets. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015; 34:375-8. [PMID: 25808717 DOI: 10.1111/dar.12256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Greater concentrations of off-premise alcohol outlets are found in areas of social disadvantage, exposing disadvantaged populations to excess risk for problems such as assault, child abuse and intimate partner violence. This study examines whether the outlets to which they are exposed also sell cheaper alcohol, potentially further contributing to income-related health disparities. DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted unobtrusive observations in 295 off-premise outlets in Melbourne, Australia, randomly selected using a spatial sample frame. In semi-logged linear regression models, we related the minimum purchase price for a 750 mL bottle of wine to a national index of socioeconomic advantage for the census areas in which the outlets were located. Other independent variables characterised outlet features (e.g. volume, chain management) and conditions of the local alcohol market (adjacent outlet characteristics, neighbourhood characteristics). RESULTS A one decile increase in socioeconomic advantage was related to a 1.3% increase in logged price. Larger outlets, chains, outlets adjacent to chains, outlets in greater proximity to the nearest neighbouring outlet and those located in areas with more students also had cheaper alcohol. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Not only are disadvantaged populations exposed to more outlets, the outlets to which they are exposed sell cheaper alcohol. This finding appears to be consistent with the spatial dynamics of typical retail markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Morrison
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Oakland, USA
| | - William R Ponicki
- Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Oakland, USA
| | - Karen Smith
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Strategic Planning Department, Ambulance Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.,School of Primary, Aboriginal and Rural Health Care, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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13
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Bertholet N, Murphy JG, Daeppen JB, Gmel G, Gaume J. The alcohol purchase task in young men from the general population. Drug Alcohol Depend 2015; 146:39-44. [PMID: 25468819 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The alcohol purchase task (APT), which presents a scenario and asks participants how many drinks they would purchase and consume at different prices, has been used among students and small clinical samples to obtain measures of alcohol demand but not in large, general population samples. METHODS We administered the APT to a large sample of young men from the general population (Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors). Participants who reported drinking in the past year (n=4790), reported on past 12 months alcohol use, on DSM-5 alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria and on alcohol related consequences were included. RESULTS Among the APT's demand parameters, intensity was 8.7 (SD=6.5) indicating that, when drinks are free, participants report a planned consumption of almost 9 drinks. The maximum alcohol expenditure (Omax) was over 35CHF (1CHF=1.1USD) and the demand became elastic (Pmax) at 8.4CHF (SD=5.6). The mean price at which the consumption was suppressed was 15.6CHF (SD=5.4). Exponential equation provided a satisfactory fit to individual responses (mean R(2): 0.8, median: 0.8). Demand intensity was correlated with alcohol use, number of AUD criteria and number of consequences (all r≥0.3, p<0.0001). Omax was correlated with alcohol use (p<0.0001). The elasticity parameter was weakly correlated with alcohol use in the expected direction. CONCLUSION The APT measures are useful in characterizing demand for alcohol in young men in the general population. Demand may provide a clinically useful index of strength of motivation for alcohol use in general population samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Bertholet
- Alcohol Treatment Center, Department of Community Medicine and Health, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - James G Murphy
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jean-Bernard Daeppen
- Alcohol Treatment Center, Department of Community Medicine and Health, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard Gmel
- Alcohol Treatment Center, Department of Community Medicine and Health, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jacques Gaume
- Alcohol Treatment Center, Department of Community Medicine and Health, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Scherer M, Fell JC, Thomas S, Voas RB. Effects of Dram Shop, Responsible Beverage Service Training, and State Alcohol Control Laws on Underage Drinking Driver Fatal Crash Ratios. TRAFFIC INJURY PREVENTION 2015; 16 Suppl 2:S59-65. [PMID: 26436244 PMCID: PMC4602396 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2015.1064909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this study, we aimed to determine whether three minimum legal drinking age 21 (MLDA-21) laws-dram shop liability, responsible beverage service (RBS) training, and state control of alcohol sales-have had an impact on underage drinking and driving fatal crashes using annual state-level data, and compared states with strong laws to those with weak laws to examine their effect on beer consumption and fatal crash ratios. METHODS Using the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, we calculated the ratio of drinking to nondrinking drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes as our key outcome measure. We used structural equation modeling to evaluate the three MLDA-21 laws. We controlled for covariates known to impact fatal crashes including: 17 additional MLDA-21 laws; administrative license revocation; blood alcohol concentration limits of.08 and.10 for driving; seat belt laws; sobriety checkpoint frequency; unemployment rates; and vehicle miles traveled. Outcome variables, in addition to the fatal crash ratios of drinking to nondrinking drivers under age 21 included state per capita beer consumption. RESULTS Dram shop liability laws were associated with a 2.4% total effect decrease (direct effects: β =.019, p =.018). Similarly, RBS training laws were associated with a 3.6% total effect decrease (direct effect: β =.048, p =.001) in the ratio of drinking to nondrinking drivers under age 21 involved in fatal crashes. There was a significant relationship between dram shop liability law strength and per capita beer consumption, F (4, 1528) = 24.32, p <.001, partial η(2) =.016, showing states with strong dram shop liability laws (Mean (M) = 1.276) averaging significantly lower per capita beer consumption than states with weak laws (M = 1.340). CONCLUSIONS Dram shop liability laws and RBS laws were both associated with significantly reduced per capita beer consumption and fatal crash ratios. In practical terms, this means that dram shop liability laws are currently associated with saving an estimated 64 lives in the 45 jurisdictions that currently have the law. If the remaining 6 states adopted the dram shop law, an additional 9 lives could potentially be saved annually. Similarly, RBS training laws are associated with saving an estimated 83 lives in the 37 jurisdictions that currently have the laws. If the remaining 14 states adopted these RBS training laws, we estimate that an additional 28 lives could potentially be saved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sue Thomas
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
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Stockwell T, Zhao J, Martin G, Macdonald S, Vallance K, Treno A, Ponicki W, Tu A, Buxton J. Minimum alcohol prices and outlet densities in British Columbia, Canada: estimated impacts on alcohol-attributable hospital admissions. Am J Public Health 2013; 103:2014-20. [PMID: 23597383 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2013.301289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We investigated whether periodic increases in minimum alcohol prices were associated with reduced alcohol-attributable hospital admissions in British Columbia. METHODS The longitudinal panel study (2002-2009) incorporated minimum alcohol prices, density of alcohol outlets, and age- and gender-standardized rates of acute, chronic, and 100% alcohol-attributable admissions. We applied mixed-method regression models to data from 89 geographic areas of British Columbia across 32 time periods, adjusting for spatial and temporal autocorrelation, moving average effects, season, and a range of economic and social variables. RESULTS A 10% increase in the average minimum price of all alcoholic beverages was associated with an 8.95% decrease in acute alcohol-attributable admissions and a 9.22% reduction in chronic alcohol-attributable admissions 2 years later. A Can$ 0.10 increase in average minimum price would prevent 166 acute admissions in the 1st year and 275 chronic admissions 2 years later. We also estimated significant, though smaller, adverse impacts of increased private liquor store density on hospital admission rates for all types of alcohol-attributable admissions. CONCLUSIONS Significant health benefits were observed when minimum alcohol prices in British Columbia were increased. By contrast, adverse health outcomes were associated with an expansion of private liquor stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Stockwell
- Tim Stockwell, Jinhui Zhao, Gina Martin, Scott Macdonald, and Kate Vallance are with the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, University of Victoria, British Columbia. Tim Stockwell is also with the Department of Psychology, University of Victoria. Andrew Treno and William Ponicki are with the Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Berkeley, California. Andrew Tu and Jane Buxton are with the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia
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