Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the cost and benefit of a community-based alcohol consumption control program during the Buddhist Lent (BL) period in terms of social return on investment (SROI). Design/methodology/approach The research team evaluated the program in four selected villages from four regions using standard SROI. Relevant stakeholders were involved in the evaluation design and program impact map construction. Data, including costs, were collected from literatures, official documents, stakeholder interviews and focus group discussions. Alcohol abstinence and related data during and after the 2015 BL period were gathered from a survey questionnaire. The SROI ratio presented the social benefits compared against the total social investment. Findings The program was effective in producing a greater social value (2.7–5.9 times) than the cost of investment in every village. Cost savings from alcohol consumption constituted a major proportion of the program’s value. Originality/value The community-based alcohol consumption control program during BL can provide value for investment. Information from this study can be used by policy makers in their decision to continue or scale up the program. The SROI approach mainly relies on stakeholders that may present a bias; however, further study such as social cost-benefit analysis could provide additional insights.
Highlights
Alcohol consumption rates in Thailand are ranked amongst the top amongst ASEAN countries[1]
Data on alcohol abstinence and alcohol-related savings during and after the Buddhist Lent (BL) period were compiled from the study that evaluated the community-based campaign for alcohol consumption control during the 2015 BL period[10]
The total costs of investment in each village ranged between THB97,523 and 134,966
Summary
Alcohol consumption rates in Thailand are ranked amongst the top amongst ASEAN countries[1]. In 2014, 32.3 percent of the Thai population aged 15 years and over consumed alcohol while 42.4 percent of drinkers consumed alcohol regularly[2]. The average monthly expenditure on alcohol consumption was about 509 ± 730.7 baht per drinker, making up an average of 3.6–6.7 percent of total household expenditure[3]. Alcohol consumption is one of the most significant health risk factors amongst the Thai population[4]. The disease burden from alcohol consumption in terms of disability adjusted life years lost amongst the. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
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