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Alcohol and Health

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2017) | Viewed by 126074

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Eileen Kaner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Interests: alcohol; behavioural interventions; health inequalities; life course
Dr. Amy O'Donnell

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle Unviersity, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Interests: alcohol interventions; implementation science; primary health care
Prof. Dr. Peter Anderson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Interests: alcohol policy; alcohol epidemiology; primary health care; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Alcohol is the sixth leading global risk-factor for morbidity and premature death. The adverse health, social, and economic effects of excessive alcohol consumption are experienced not only by individual drinkers, but also often by other people in their immediate environment. Whilst the health impacts of risky dinking are felt across societies, some vulnerable groups are particularly affected including: Younger people, mainly due to the increased risk of alcohol-related injuries; the children of heavy drinking parents who can experience family disruption, child abuse and neglect; socio-economically deprived, minority ethnic groups and/or marginalised people who may not have the resources to buffer the effects of alcohol; and older individuals who develop co-morbidities, including mental health problems, that can require changes to patterns of drinking built up over many years. This complex, multilevel health and social care challenge demands a complex multilevel prevention and treatment response: A need reflected in  international policy guidelines, such as the World Health Organisation’s Global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Indeed, there is a large and robust evidence base to support a range of preventative strategies, from brief interventions to reduce problematic drinking, to pricing and taxation measures that help reduce overall consumption. However, much of this evidence is not put into practice and we wish to understand why. We would like to receive high quality primary research or reviews from around the world that reveal key evidence gaps covering under-researched groups or settings, under-specified intervention issues and key implementation challenges at both a practice and policy level. We also welcome work that highlights innovative approaches to reduce alcohol-related harms including community level actions, technological advancements and legislative levers to promote policy-level intervention.

Prof. Dr. Eileen Kaner
Dr Amy O'Donnell
Prof. Dr. Peter Anderson
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Alcohol interventions
  • Prevention
  • Equity
  • Alcohol policy
  • Social and contextual harm

Published Papers (17 papers)

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926 KiB  
Article
Effect of Health Messages on Alcohol Attitudes and Intentions in a Sample of 16–17-Year-Old Underage Drinkers
by Antony C. Moss, Stephen Evans and Ian P. Albery
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(10), 1183; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14101183 - 05 Oct 2017
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4129
Abstract
Background: Responsible drinking messages (RDMs) are a key component of many education-based interventions for reducing alcohol harms. The evidence base for the effectiveness of RDMs is extremely limited, with some recent research suggesting iatrogenic effects of such messages. Objective: To examine [...] Read more.
Background: Responsible drinking messages (RDMs) are a key component of many education-based interventions for reducing alcohol harms. The evidence base for the effectiveness of RDMs is extremely limited, with some recent research suggesting iatrogenic effects of such messages. Objective: To examine the effects of exposure to health messages on attitudes towards drinking and drunkenness, and intentions to drink and get drunk, amongst underage drinkers. Methods: Ninety-four underage drinkers were recruited from colleges in the UK. Participants were either actively or passively exposed to one of two health messages (RDM or general wellbeing). Measures of attitudes and intentions towards drinking and drunkenness were obtained one week before and immediately after participation in the study. A unit estimation task was also included. Results: Active exposure to RDMs led to more positive attitude towards drunkenness, while passive exposure led to more negative attitudes. Passive RDM exposure led to increased intentions to get drunk in future. Wellbeing posters produced the opposite effect in some but not all of these measures. Conclusions: Exposure to RDMs may have some beneficial effects in terms of creating more negative attitudes towards alcohol consumption, but we also identified potential iatrogenic effects regarding attitudes and intentions towards drunkenness amongst an underage sample of drinkers. Further research is required to better understand optimal ways of framing RDMs to produce positive changes in attitudes, intentions, and prospective drinking behaviour. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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995 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of a Pilot Implementation to Integrate Alcohol-Related Care within Primary Care
by Jennifer F. Bobb, Amy K. Lee, Gwen T. Lapham, Malia Oliver, Evette Ludman, Carol Achtmeyer, Rebecca Parrish, Ryan M. Caldeiro, Paula Lozano, Julie E. Richards and Katharine A. Bradley
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(9), 1030; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14091030 - 08 Sep 2017
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 4924
Abstract
Alcohol use is a major cause of disability and death worldwide. To improve prevention and treatment addressing unhealthy alcohol use, experts recommend that alcohol-related care be integrated into primary care (PC). However, few healthcare systems do so. To address this gap, implementation researchers [...] Read more.
Alcohol use is a major cause of disability and death worldwide. To improve prevention and treatment addressing unhealthy alcohol use, experts recommend that alcohol-related care be integrated into primary care (PC). However, few healthcare systems do so. To address this gap, implementation researchers and clinical leaders at Kaiser Permanente Washington partnered to design a high-quality Program of Sustained Patient-centered Alcohol-related Care (SPARC). Here, we describe the SPARC pilot implementation, evaluate its effectiveness within three large pilot sites, and describe the qualitative findings on barriers and facilitators. Across the three sites (N = 74,225 PC patients), alcohol screening increased from 8.9% of patients pre-implementation to 62% post-implementation (p < 0.0001), with a corresponding increase in assessment for alcohol use disorders (AUD) from 1.2 to 75 patients per 10,000 seen (p < 0.0001). Increases were sustained over a year later, with screening at 84.5% and an assessment rate of 81 patients per 10,000 seen across all sites. In addition, there was a 50% increase in the number of new AUD diagnoses (p = 0.0002), and a non-statistically significant 54% increase in treatment within 14 days of new diagnoses (p = 0.083). The pilot informed an ongoing stepped-wedge trial in the remaining 22 PC sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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715 KiB  
Article
Type and Context of Alcohol-Related Injury among Patients Presenting to Emergency Departments in a Caribbean Country
by Sandra D. Reid and Jannel Gentius
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(8), 877; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14080877 - 04 Aug 2017
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3523
Abstract
There is an association between alcohol consumption and injuries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This cross-sectional study explores the socio-contextual factors of alcohol-related injuries in Trinidad and Tobago. Data on drinking patterns, injury type, drinking context prior to injury, and demographics were [...] Read more.
There is an association between alcohol consumption and injuries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This cross-sectional study explores the socio-contextual factors of alcohol-related injuries in Trinidad and Tobago. Data on drinking patterns, injury type, drinking context prior to injury, and demographics were collected from patients presenting with injuries to the Emergency Departments (ED) of four hospitals. Findings show that 20.6% of patients had consumed alcohol, mainly beer, in the 6 h before injury. More than half were drinking at home (27%), or someone else’s home (27%). Injury most commonly occurred outdoors (36%) while in transit. Alcohol-related injuries occurred mainly because of falling or tripping (31.7%); these patients recorded the highest mean alcohol consumption prior to injury. Most persons who fell (50%) did so at home. Findings highlight the previously unreported significant risk of non-drivers sustaining injures through falling and tripping because of heavy alcohol use. Current interventions to reduce alcohol-related injury have focused on drink driving but there is a need for interventions targeting pedestrians and those who drink at home. A comprehensive multi-component approach including secondary prevention interventions in the medical setting, community educational interventions, enforcement of current legislative policies concerning the sale of alcohol, and policy initiatives surrounding road safety and alcohol outlet density should be implemented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Implementing a More Severe Drunk-Driving Law in China: Findings from Two Open Access Data Sources
by Wangxin Xiao, Peishan Ning, David C. Schwebel and Guoqing Hu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(8), 832; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14080832 - 25 Jul 2017
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4800
Abstract
In 2011, China implemented a more severe drunk-driving law. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the law on road traffic morbidity and mortality attributed to alcohol use. Data were from two open-access data sources, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 update and [...] Read more.
In 2011, China implemented a more severe drunk-driving law. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the law on road traffic morbidity and mortality attributed to alcohol use. Data were from two open-access data sources, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2015 update and police data. Poisson regression examined the significance of changes in morbidity and mortality. Large gaps in crude death estimates from road traffic crashes attributed to alcohol use emerged between the two data sources. For the GBD 2015 update, crude and age-standardized mortality displayed consistent trends between 1990 and 2015; age-standardized mortality per 100,000 persons increased from 5.71 in 1990 to 7.48 in 2005 and then continuously decreased down to 5.94 in 2015. Police data showed a decrease for crude mortality per 100,000 persons from 0.29 in 2006 to 0.15 in 2010 and then an increase to 0.19 in 2015. We conclude available data are inadequate to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of the more severe drunk-driving law in China since the two data sources present highly inconsistent results. Further effort is needed to tackle data inconsistencies and obtain reliable and accurate data on road traffic injury attributable to alcohol use in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
Alcohol Marketing during the UEFA EURO 2016 Football Tournament: A Frequency Analysis
by Richard I. Purves, Nathan Critchlow, Martine Stead, Jean Adams and Katherine Brown
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(7), 704; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14070704 - 29 Jun 2017
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 7429
Abstract
This study examined the frequency and nature of alcohol marketing references in broadcasts of the 2016 UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) European Championships football tournament in the United Kingdom (UK). Eighteen matches from across the tournament were recorded in full as broadcast [...] Read more.
This study examined the frequency and nature of alcohol marketing references in broadcasts of the 2016 UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) European Championships football tournament in the United Kingdom (UK). Eighteen matches from across the tournament were recorded in full as broadcast in the UK, including all four matches featuring the English national team and all seven featuring the French national team. All visual and verbal references to alcohol marketing were recorded using a tool with high inter-rater reliability. A total of 2213 alcohol marketing references were recorded, an average of 122.94 per broadcast and 0.65 per broadcast minute (0.52 per minute in-play and 0.80 per minute out-of-play). Almost all references were visual (97.5%), with 77.9% occurring around the pitch border. Almost all (90.6%) were indirect references to alcohol brands (e.g., references to well-known slogans), compared to only 9.4% direct references to brands (e.g., brand names). The frequency of references to alcohol marketing was high. Although the overall proportion of direct brand references was low, the high proportion of indirect references demonstrates that alcohol producers were able to circumvent the French national law governing alcohol marketing (the Loi Évin) using indirect “alibi marketing”. To ensure the spirit of the Loi Évin regulations are achieved, stricter enforcement may be required to limit exposure to alcohol marketing, particularly for young people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
Media Coverage of Alcohol Issues: A Critical Political Economy Framework—A Case Study from Ireland
by Julien Mercille
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 650; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14060650 - 16 Jun 2017
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5773
Abstract
There is a growing literature on news media representations of alcohol-related issues. However, current scholarship has neglected critical political economic frameworks to interpret media coverage of alcohol. This paper presents such a framework that conceives of news organisations as corporations that share the [...] Read more.
There is a growing literature on news media representations of alcohol-related issues. However, current scholarship has neglected critical political economic frameworks to interpret media coverage of alcohol. This paper presents such a framework that conceives of news organisations as corporations that share the values and interests of political and economic elites. The media are thus expected to present viewpoints that are more aligned with the alcohol industry than the scientific consensus on public health policy would warrant. The media are also expected, but to a lesser extent, to present a certain amount of support for public health perspectives because these are supported by a few socioeconomic elite groups (the medical professions, progressive politicians). The case of Ireland from 2012 to 2017 illustrates the framework empirically. Four main newspapers’ coverage of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill and related policies is examined. Results show that, overall, 44.0% of articles support public health measures and 56.0% are opposed or remain neutral. It is argued that the media are not strong proponents of public health for multiple reasons: there are more articles opposed to or neutral toward public health measures than supporting them; the number of supportive articles remains relatively small and there are still many pieces presenting drinks industry views; there are virtually no calls in the media for stronger measures; supportive coverage is partially explained by the pub owners lobby’s support for minimum unit pricing; the media often downplay or ignore the negative consequences of alcohol, such as its role in accidents; many news articles normalise drinking and promote events sponsored by the industry; there is not a single Irish journalist covering alcohol issues systematically; and other policy issues that are prioritised by elites receive multiple times more media coverage than public health measures. In short, the media reflect the views of the political and economic establishment on public health measures: there is some support from the medical professions and progressive politicians, but overall, there is a clear reluctance to support strong public health strategies. One main recommendation for public health advocates to promote their perspectives is to diversify the mass media and make them less commercial in nature, as well as to engage with non-corporate, so-called progressive “alternative media” outlets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
311 KiB  
Article
‘Hidden Habitus’: A Qualitative Study of Socio-Ecological Influences on Drinking Practices and Social Identity in Mid-Adolescence
by Stephanie Scott, Janet Shucksmith, Rachel Baker and Eileen Kaner
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 611; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14060611 - 08 Jun 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5745
Abstract
This study explored mid-adolescents’ views and experiences of socio-ecological influences on their drinking practices in order to help inform the development of interventions to reduce alcohol-related risk. We conducted 31 in-depth interviews with young people aged 13–17 in North East England. Verbatim interview [...] Read more.
This study explored mid-adolescents’ views and experiences of socio-ecological influences on their drinking practices in order to help inform the development of interventions to reduce alcohol-related risk. We conducted 31 in-depth interviews with young people aged 13–17 in North East England. Verbatim interview transcripts and field notes were coded systematically and analysed thematically, following the principles of constant comparison. We adopted Bourdieu’s idea of social game-playing and elements of his conceptual toolkit (particularly habitus, capital and field) during analysis. Analysis yielded three intersecting themes: (1) ‘drinking etiquette’: conveying taste and disgust; (2) ‘playing the drinking game’: demonstrating cultural competency; (3) ‘hidden habitus’—the role of alcohol marketing. Our work demonstrates that there is a nexus of influential factors which come together to help shape and reinforce mid-adolescents’ behaviour, norms and values in relation to alcohol consumption. Drinking practices are not just formed by friendships and family traditions, these are also subject to wider cultural shaping including by the alcohol industry which can encourage brand identification, and gear specific products to add ‘distinction’. However young people are not inactive players and they use aspects of capital and social games to help cement their identity and present themselves in particular ways which in turn are influenced by age, gender and social status. Guided by promising work in the tobacco field, interventions which focus on critical awareness of the framing of alcohol products by key stakeholders, such as policymakers, commercial industry and public health professionals, and by wider society may facilitate behaviour change among young people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
743 KiB  
Article
The Effects of the Global Economic Recession and a Reduced Alcohol Tax on Hospitalizations Due to Alcohol-Attributed Diseases in Taiwan
by Chen-Mao Liao and Chih-Ming Lin
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(6), 580; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14060580 - 30 May 2017
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4206
Abstract
This study is to assess the effects of the 2008 economic crisis and a 2009 alcohol tax reduction on alcohol-related morbidity for men of different socioeconomic statuses in Taiwan. Admissions data for the period from 2007 to 2012 for men aged 24–59 years [...] Read more.
This study is to assess the effects of the 2008 economic crisis and a 2009 alcohol tax reduction on alcohol-related morbidity for men of different socioeconomic statuses in Taiwan. Admissions data for the period from 2007 to 2012 for men aged 24–59 years in 2007 was retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database. With stratification over three income levels, an interrupted time-series analysis examining the effects of the crisis and taxation reduction on incidence rates of hospitalization for alcohol-attributed diseases (AADs) was employed. The low income group showed a significant (p < 0.05) change in the rate of AAD-related hospitalizations in July 2008; specifically, an abrupt 7.11% increase that was then sustained for several months thereafter. In contrast, while the middle income group exhibited a significant 22.9% decline in the rate of AAD-related hospitalizations over the course of the crisis, that downward trend was gradual. The reduction of the alcohol tax resulted in increased rates of AADs among both the low and high income groups. The economic recession and the reduction of the alcohol tax resulted in an increased rate of AAD among low income men. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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721 KiB  
Article
Mapping Patterns and Trends in the Spatial Availability of Alcohol Using Low-Level Geographic Data: A Case Study in England 2003–2013
by Colin Angus, John Holmes, Ravi Maheswaran, Mark A. Green, Petra Meier and Alan Brennan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 406; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14040406 - 12 Apr 2017
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 9749
Abstract
Much literature examines the relationship between the spatial availability of alcohol and alcohol-related harm. This study aims to address an important gap in this evidence by using detailed outlet data to examine recent temporal trends in the sociodemographic distribution of spatial availability for [...] Read more.
Much literature examines the relationship between the spatial availability of alcohol and alcohol-related harm. This study aims to address an important gap in this evidence by using detailed outlet data to examine recent temporal trends in the sociodemographic distribution of spatial availability for different types of alcohol outlet in England. Descriptive analysis of measures of alcohol outlet density and proximity using extremely high resolution market research data stratified by outlet type and quintiles of area-level deprivation from 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2013 was undertaken and hierarchical linear growth models fitted to explore the significance of socioeconomic differences. We find that overall availability of alcohol changed very little from 2003 to 2013 (density +1.6%), but this conceals conflicting trends by outlet type and area-level deprivation. Mean on-trade density has decreased substantially (−2.2 outlets within 1 km (Inter-Quartile Range (IQR) −3–0), although access to restaurants has increased (+1.0 outlets (IQR 0–1)), while off-trade access has risen substantially (+2.4 outlets (IQR 0–3)). Availability is highest in the most deprived areas (p < 0.0001) although these areas have also seen the greatest falls in on-trade outlet availability (p < 0.0001). This study underlines the importance of using detailed, low-level geographic data to understand patterns and trends in the spatial availability of alcohol. There are significant variations in these trends by outlet type and deprivation level which may have important implications for health inequalities and public health policy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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939 KiB  
Article
Are Brief Alcohol Interventions Adequately Embedded in UK Primary Care? A Qualitative Study Utilising Normalisation Process Theory
by Amy O’Donnell and Eileen Kaner
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 350; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14040350 - 28 Mar 2017
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4689
Abstract
Despite substantial evidence for their effectiveness, the adoption of alcohol screening and brief interventions (ASBI) in routine primary care remains inconsistent. Financial incentive schemes were introduced in England between 2008 and 2015 to encourage their delivery. We used Normalisation Process Theory-informed interviews to [...] Read more.
Despite substantial evidence for their effectiveness, the adoption of alcohol screening and brief interventions (ASBI) in routine primary care remains inconsistent. Financial incentive schemes were introduced in England between 2008 and 2015 to encourage their delivery. We used Normalisation Process Theory-informed interviews to understand the barriers and facilitators experienced by 14 general practitioners (GPs) as they implemented ASBI during this period. We found multiple factors shaped provision. GPs were broadly cognisant and supportive of preventative alcohol interventions (coherence) but this did not necessarily translate into personal investment in their delivery (cognitive participation). This lack of investment shaped how GPs operationalised such “work” in day-to-day practice (collective action), with ASBI mostly delegated to nurses, and GPs reverting to “business as usual” in their management and treatment of problem drinking (reflexive monitoring). We conclude there has been limited progress towards the goal of an effectively embedded preventative alcohol care pathway in English primary care. Future policy should consider screening strategies that prioritise patients with conditions with a recognised link with excessive alcohol consumption, and which promote more efficient identification of the most problematic drinkers. Improved GP training to build skills and awareness of evidence-based ASBI tools could also help embed best practice over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
Implementing a Public Health Objective for Alcohol Premises Licensing in Scotland: A Qualitative Study of Strategies, Values, and Perceptions of Evidence
by Niamh Fitzgerald, James Nicholls, Jo Winterbottom and Srinivasa Vittal Katikireddi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(3), 221; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14030221 - 23 Feb 2017
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 9725
Abstract
The public health objective for alcohol premises licensing, established in Scotland in 2005, is unique globally. We explored how public health practitioners engaged with the licensing system following this change, and what helped or hindered their efforts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 [...] Read more.
The public health objective for alcohol premises licensing, established in Scotland in 2005, is unique globally. We explored how public health practitioners engaged with the licensing system following this change, and what helped or hindered their efforts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 public health actors, audio-recorded, and analysed using an inductive framework approach. Many interviewees viewed the new objective as synonymous with reducing population-level alcohol consumption; however, this view was not always shared by licensing actors, some of whom did not accept public health as a legitimate goal of licensing, or prioritised economic development instead. Some interviewees were surprised that the public health evidence they presented to licensing boards did not result in their hoped-for outcomes; they reported that licensing officials did not always understand or value health data or statistical evidence. While some tried to give “impartial” advice to licensing boards, this was not always easy; others were clear that their role was one of “winning hearts and minds” through relationship-building with licensing actors over time. Notwithstanding the introduction of the public health objective, there remain significant, and political, challenges in orienting local premises licensing boards towards decisions to reduce the availability of alcohol in Scotland. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
The Feasibility of Embedding Data Collection into the Routine Service Delivery of a Multi-Component Program for High-Risk Young People
by Alice Knight, Alys Havard, Anthony Shakeshaft, Myfanwy Maple, Mieke Snijder and Bernie Shakeshaft
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(2), 208; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14020208 - 20 Feb 2017
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 6206
Abstract
Background: There is little evidence about how to improve outcomes for high-risk young people, of whom Indigenous young people are disproportionately represented, due to few evaluation studies of interventions. One way to increase the evidence is to have researchers and service providers collaborate [...] Read more.
Background: There is little evidence about how to improve outcomes for high-risk young people, of whom Indigenous young people are disproportionately represented, due to few evaluation studies of interventions. One way to increase the evidence is to have researchers and service providers collaborate to embed evaluation into the routine delivery of services, so program delivery and evaluation occur simultaneously. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating best-evidence measures into the routine data collection processes of a service for high-risk young people, and identify the number and nature of risk factors experienced by participants. Methods: The youth service is a rural based NGO comprised of multiple program components: (i) engagement activities; (ii) case management; (iii) diversionary activities; (iv) personal development; and (v) learning and skills. A best-evidence assessment tool was developed by staff and researchers and embedded into the service’s existing intake procedure. Assessment items were organised into demographic characteristics and four domains of risk: education and employment; health and wellbeing; substance use; and crime. Descriptive data are presented and summary risk variables were created for each domain of risk. A count of these summary variables represented the number of co-occurring risks experienced by each participant. The feasibility of this process was determined by the proportion of participants who completed the intake assessment and provided research consent. Results: This study shows 85% of participants completed the assessment tool demonstrating that data on participant risk factors can feasibly be collected by embedding a best-evidence assessment tool into the routine data collection processes of a service. The most prevalent risk factors were school absence, unemployment, suicide ideation, mental distress, substance use, low levels of physical activity, low health service utilisation, and involvement in crime or with the juvenile justice system. All but one participant experienced at least two co-occurring domains of risk, and the majority of participants (58%) experienced co-occurring risk across four domains. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that best-evidence measures can feasibly be embedded into the routine data collection processes of a service for high-risk young people. This process allows services to tailor their activities to the most prevalent risks experienced by participants, and monitor these risks over time. Replication of this process in other services would improve the quality of services, facilitate more high quality evaluations of services, and contribute evidence on how to improve outcomes for high-risk young people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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1435 KiB  
Article
Attitudes and Learning through Practice Are Key to Delivering Brief Interventions for Heavy Drinking in Primary Health Care: Analyses from the ODHIN Five Country Cluster Randomized Factorial Trial
by Peter Anderson, Eileen Kaner, Myrna Keurhorst, Preben Bendtsen, Ben Van Steenkiste, Jillian Reynolds, Lidia Segura, Marcin Wojnar, Karolina Kłoda, Kathryn Parkinson, Colin Drummond, Katarzyna Okulicz-Kozaryn, Artur Mierzecki, Miranda Laurant, Dorothy Newbury-Birch and Antoni Gual
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(2), 121; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14020121 - 26 Jan 2017
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 11051
Abstract
In this paper, we test path models that study the interrelations between primary health care provider attitudes towards working with drinkers, their screening and brief advice activity, and their receipt of training and support and financial reimbursement. Study participants were 756 primary health [...] Read more.
In this paper, we test path models that study the interrelations between primary health care provider attitudes towards working with drinkers, their screening and brief advice activity, and their receipt of training and support and financial reimbursement. Study participants were 756 primary health care providers from 120 primary health care units (PHCUs) in different locations throughout Catalonia, England, The Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden. Our interventions were training and support and financial reimbursement to providers. Our design was a randomized factorial trial with baseline measurement period, 12-week implementation period, and 9-month follow-up measurement period. Our outcome measures were: attitudes of individual providers in working with drinkers as measured by the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire; and the proportion of consulting adult patients (age 18+ years) who screened positive and were given advice to reduce their alcohol consumption (intervention activity). We found that more positive attitudes were associated with higher intervention activity, and higher intervention activity was then associated with more positive attitudes. Training and support was associated with both positive changes in attitudes and higher intervention activity. Financial reimbursement was associated with more positive attitudes through its impact on higher intervention activity. We conclude that improving primary health care providers’ screening and brief advice activity for heavy drinking requires a combination of training and support and on-the-job experience of actually delivering screening and brief advice activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
Support Vector Machine Classification of Drunk Driving Behaviour
by Huiqin Chen and Lei Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(1), 108; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14010108 - 23 Jan 2017
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6244
Abstract
Alcohol is the root cause of numerous traffic accidents due to its pharmacological action on the human central nervous system. This study conducted a detection process to distinguish drunk driving from normal driving under simulated driving conditions. The classification was performed by a [...] Read more.
Alcohol is the root cause of numerous traffic accidents due to its pharmacological action on the human central nervous system. This study conducted a detection process to distinguish drunk driving from normal driving under simulated driving conditions. The classification was performed by a support vector machine (SVM) classifier trained to distinguish between these two classes by integrating both driving performance and physiological measurements. In addition, principal component analysis was conducted to rank the weights of the features. The standard deviation of R–R intervals (SDNN), the root mean square value of the difference of the adjacent R–R interval series (RMSSD), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), the ratio of the low and high frequencies (LF/HF), and average blink duration were the highest weighted features in the study. The results show that SVM classification can successfully distinguish drunk driving from normal driving with an accuracy of 70%. The driving performance data and the physiological measurements reported by this paper combined with air-alcohol concentration could be integrated using the support vector regression classification method to establish a better early warning model, thereby improving vehicle safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Article
Demographic and Substance Use Factors Associated with Non-Violent Alcohol-Related Injuries among Patrons of Australian Night-Time Entertainment Districts
by Kerri Coomber, Richelle Mayshak, Shannon Hyder, Nicolas Droste, Ashlee Curtis, Amy Pennay, William Gilmore, Tina Lam, Tanya Chikritzhs and Peter G. Miller
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(1), 75; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14010075 - 12 Jan 2017
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4372
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between patron demographics, substance use, and experience of recent alcohol-related accidents and injuries that were not due to interpersonal violence in night-time entertainment districts. Cross-sectional interviews (n = 4016) were conducted around licensed venues in entertainment districts [...] Read more.
This study examined the relationship between patron demographics, substance use, and experience of recent alcohol-related accidents and injuries that were not due to interpersonal violence in night-time entertainment districts. Cross-sectional interviews (n = 4016) were conducted around licensed venues in entertainment districts of five Australian cities. Demographic factors associated with non-violent alcohol-related injuries were examined, including gender, age, and occupation. The association between substance use on the night of interview; blood alcohol concentration (BAC), pre-drinking, energy drink consumption, and illicit drug use; and experience of injury was also explored. Thirteen percent of participants reported an alcohol-related injury within the past three months. Respondents aged younger than 25 years were significantly more likely to report an alcohol-related injury. Further, a significant occupation effect was found indicating the rate of alcohol-related injury was lower in managers/professionals compared to non-office workers. The likelihood of prior alcohol-related injury significantly increased with BAC, and self-reported pre-drinking, energy drink, or illicit drug consumption on the night of interview. These findings provide an indication of the demographic and substance use-related associations with alcohol-related injuries and, therefore, potential avenues of population-level policy intervention. Policy responses to alcohol-related harm must also account for an assessment and costing of non-violent injuries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)

Review

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Review
Parental Supply of Alcohol in Childhood and Risky Drinking in Adolescence: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Sonia Sharmin, Kypros Kypri, Masuma Khanam, Monika Wadolowski, Raimondo Bruno and Richard P. Mattick
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(3), 287; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14030287 - 09 Mar 2017
Cited by 73 | Viewed by 24164
Abstract
Whether parental supply of alcohol affects the likelihood of later adolescent risky drinking remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize findings from longitudinal studies investigating this association. We searched eight electronic databases up to 10 September 2016 for relevant [...] Read more.
Whether parental supply of alcohol affects the likelihood of later adolescent risky drinking remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize findings from longitudinal studies investigating this association. We searched eight electronic databases up to 10 September 2016 for relevant terms and included only original English language peer-reviewed journal articles with a prospective design. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Seven articles met inclusion criteria, six of which used analytic methods allowing for meta-analysis. In all seven studies, the follow-up period was ≥12 months and attrition ranged from 3% to 15%. Parental supply of alcohol was associated with subsequent risky drinking (odds ratio = 2.00, 95% confidence interval = 1.72, 2.32); however, there was substantial risk of confounding bias and publication bias. In all studies, measurement of exposure was problematic given the lack of distinction between parental supply of sips of alcohol versus whole drinks. In conclusion, parental supply of alcohol in childhood is associated with an increased likelihood of risky drinking later in adolescence. However, methodological limitations preclude a causal inference. More robust longitudinal studies are needed, with particular attention to distinguishing sips from whole drinks, measurement of likely confounders, and multivariable adjustment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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Other

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298 KiB  
Opinion
Harmful Use of Alcohol: A Shadow over Sub-Saharan Africa in Need of Workable Solutions
by Carina Ferreira-Borges, Charles D.H. Parry and Thomas F. Babor
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14(4), 346; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph14040346 - 27 Mar 2017
Cited by 83 | Viewed by 8553
Abstract
Alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable burden of disease in Africa are expected to rise in the near future, yet. increasing alcohol-related harm receives little attention from policymakers and from the population in general. Even where new legislation is proposed it is rarely enacted into [...] Read more.
Alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable burden of disease in Africa are expected to rise in the near future, yet. increasing alcohol-related harm receives little attention from policymakers and from the population in general. Even where new legislation is proposed it is rarely enacted into law. Being at the center of social and cultural activities in many countries, alcohol’s negative role in society and contribution to countries’ burden of disease are rarely questioned. After the momentum created by the adoption in 2010 of the WHO Global Strategy and the WHO Regional Strategy (for Africa) to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, and the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, in 2013, little seems to have been done to address the increasing use of alcohol, its associated burden and the new challenges that derive from the growing influence of the alcohol industry in Africa. In this review, we argue that to have a positive impact on the health of African populations, action addressing specific features of alcohol policy in the continent is needed, namely focusing on particularities linked to alcohol availability, like unrecorded and illicit production, outlet licensing, the expansion of formal production, marketing initiatives and taxation policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol and Health)
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