Queensland Alcohol-related violence and Night Time Economy Monitoring project (QUANTEM): a study protocol

Peter Miller ,Nicholas Carah,Nicholas Taylor,Alan R Clough ,Richelle Mayshak,Sarah Callinan,Robin Room,Michael Thorn,Heng Jiang,Tanya Chikritzhs,Kypros Kypri,Belinda Lloyd,Meredythe Crane,Sharon Matthews,Michael Livingston,Dominique De Andrade,Ashlee Curtis,Nicolas Droste,Kerri Coomber,Renee Zahnow,Jason Ferris,Jake M Najman

doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4811-9

Abstract

BackgroundAlcohol-related harm is a substantial burden on the community in Australia and internationally, particularly harm related to risky drinking practices of young people in the night-time economy. This protocol paper describes a study that will report on the changes in a wide range of health and justice outcome measures associated with major policy changes in the state of Queensland, Australia. A key element includes trading hours restrictions for licensed premises to 2 am for the state and 3 am in Safe Night Precincts (SNPs). Other measures introduced include drinks restrictions after midnight, increased patron banning measures for repeat offenders, mandatory ID scanning of patrons in late-night venues, and education campaigns.MethodsThe primary aim of the study is to evaluate change in the levels of harm due to these policy changes using administrative data (e.g., police, hospital, ambulance, and court data). Other study elements will investigate the impact of the Policy by measuring foot traffic volume in SNPs, using ID scanner data to quantify the volume of people entering venues and measure the effectiveness of banning notices, using patron interviews to quantify the levels of pre-drinking, intoxication and illicit drug use within night-time economy districts, and to explore the impacts of the Policy on business and live music, and costs to the community.DiscussionThe information gathered through this project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Policy and to draw on these findings to inform future prevention and enforcement approaches by policy makers, police, and venue staff.

Highlights

Alcohol-related harm is a substantial burden on the community in Australia and internationally, harm related to risky drinking practices of young people in the night-time economy
Our evaluation considers novel sources of information including foot traffic counts, patron and key stakeholder interviews, and venue observations which will allow for important additional insight into questions regarding causality and mechanisms of change, as well as third party administrative data including ID scanner data
The Queensland Alcohol-related violence in the Night Time Economy Monitoring (QUANTEM) project extends on previous evaluation frameworks by incorporating a wide variety of data sources to examine the impact of alcohol policy implementation

Summary

Introduction

Alcohol-related harm is a substantial burden on the community in Australia and internationally, harm related to risky drinking practices of young people in the night-time economy This protocol paper describes a study that will report on the changes in a wide range of health and justice outcome measures associated with major policy changes in the state of Queensland, Australia. Disentangling the effects of individual components is challenging, as is identifying aspects of the policy that have little discernible impact when considered in isolation [1] We have framed this evaluation in terms of ‘complex interventions’ as per the United Kingdom Medical Research Council guidance to weigh up the available evidence in the light of these methodological and practical constraints, ensuring there is consideration of all elements of the intervention (through process and outcomes), as well as monitoring the intervention through different stages to map changes over time [5]. A safer night time environment, in particular in entertainment precincts, and

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion