Authors: Paschall, Mallie J.; Grube, Joel W.¹; Kypri, Kypros²

Source: Addiction, Volume 104, Number 11, November 2009 , pp. 1849-1855(7)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Aims 

The study examined relationships between alcohol control policies and adolescent alcohol use in 26 countries. Design 

Cross-sectional analyses of alcohol policy ratings based on the Alcohol Policy Index (API), per capita consumption and national adolescent survey data. Setting 

Data are from 26 countries. Participants 

Adolescents (aged 15-17 years) who participated in the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) or national secondary school surveys in Spain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Measurements 

Alcohol control policy ratings based on the API; prevalence of alcohol use, heavy drinking and first drink by age 13 based on national secondary school surveys; per capita alcohol consumption for each country in 2003. Analysis 

Correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted to examine relationships between alcohol control policy ratings and past 30-day prevalence of adolescent alcohol use, heavy drinking and having first drink by age 13. Per capita consumption of alcohol was included as a covariate in regression analyses. Findings 

More comprehensive API ratings and alcohol availability and advertising control ratings were related inversely to the past 30-day prevalence of alcohol use and prevalence rates for drinking three to five times and six or more times in the past 30 days. Alcohol advertising control was also related inversely to the prevalence of past 30-day heavy drinking and having first drink by age 13. Most of the relationships between API, alcohol availability and advertising control and drinking prevalence rates were attenuated and no longer statistically significant when controlling for per capita consumption in regression analyses, suggesting that alcohol use in the general population may confound or mediate observed relationships between alcohol control policies and youth alcohol consumption. Several of the inverse relationships remained statistically significant when controlling for per capita consumption. Conclusions 

More comprehensive and stringent alcohol control policies, particularly policies affecting alcohol availability and marketing, are associated with lower prevalence and frequency of adolescent alcohol consumption and age of first alcohol use.

Keywords: Adolescent; alcohol; alcohol availability; alcohol control policy; prevention

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02698.x

Affiliations: 1: Prevention Research Center, 1995 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA, USA, 2: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia and Injury Prevention Research Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

Publication date: 2009-11-01

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