Support For Alcohol Control Policies Research Articles

Support for evidence-based alcohol policy in Ireland: results from a representative household survey.

Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability and there is a need for evidence-based policy measures to tackle excess alcohol consumption and related harms. The aim of this study was to examine attitudes towards alcohol control measures among the general public in the context of significant reforms undertaken in the Irish alcohol policymaking landscape. A representative household survey was conducted among individuals aged 18+ years in Ireland. Descriptive and univariate analyses were used. A total of 1069 participants took part (48% male) and there was broad support (>50%) for evidence-based alcohol policies. Support was strongest for a ban on alcohol advertising near schools and creches (85.1%) and for warning labels (81.9%). Women were more likely than men to support alcohol control policy measures while participants with harmful alcohol use patterns were significantly less likely to support these measures. Respondents with a greater awareness of the health risks of alcohol showed higher levels of support, while those who had experienced harms due to other people's drinking showed lower support compared with those who had not experienced such harms. This study provides evidence of support for alcohol control policies in Ireland. However, notable differences were found in levels of support according to sociodemographic characteristics, alcohol consumption patterns, knowledge of health risks and harms experienced. Further research on reasons behind public support towards alcohol control measures would be worthwhile, given the importance of public opinion in the development of alcohol policy.

Youth drinking in decline: What are the implications for public health, public policy and public debate?

Youth drinking has declined across most high-income countries in the last 20 years. Although researchers and commentators have explored the nature and drivers of decline, they have paid less attention to its implications. This matters because of the potential impact on contemporary and future public health, as well as on alcohol policy-making. This commentary therefore considers how youth drinking trends may develop in future, what this would mean for public health, and what it might mean for alcohol policy and debate. We argue that the decline in youth drinking is well-established and unlikely to reverse, despite smaller declines and stabilising trends in recent years. Young people also appear to be carrying their lighter drinking into adulthood in at least some countries. This suggests we should expect large short- and long-term public health benefits. The latter may however be obscured in population-level data by increased harm arising from earlier, heavier drinking generations moving through the highest risk points in the life course. The likely impact of the decline in youth drinking on public and policy debate is less clear. We explore the possibilities using two model scenarios, the reinforcement and withdrawal models. In the reinforcement model, a 'virtuous' circle of falling alcohol consumption, increasing public support for alcohol control policies and apparent policy successes facilitates progressive strengthening of policy, akin to that seen in the tobacco experience. In the withdrawal model, policy-makers turn their attention to other problems, public health advocates struggle to justify proposed interventions and existing policies erode over time as industry actors reassert and strengthen their partnerships with government around alcohol policy. We argue that disconnects between the tobacco experience and the reinforcement model make the withdrawal model a more plausible scenario. We conclude by suggesting some tentative ways forward for public health actors working in this space.

Awareness of Alcohol as a Carcinogen and Support for Alcohol Control Policies

Alcohol use increases cancer risk, yet awareness of this association is low. Alcohol control policies have the potential to reduce alcohol-caused cancer morbidity and mortality. Research outside the U.S. has found awareness of the alcohol-cancer link to be associated with support for alcohol control policies. The purpose of this study is to estimate the prevalence of support for 3 communication-focused alcohol policies and examine how awareness of the alcohol-cancer link and drinking status are associated with policy support among U.S. residents. Investigators analyzed data from the 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey 5 Cycle 4. Analyses were performed in 2021. The proportion of Americans who supported banning outdoor alcohol advertising and adding warning labels and drinking guidelines to alcohol containers was estimated. Weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to examine how awareness of the alcohol-cancer link and drinking status were associated with policy support. Most Americans supported adding warning labels (65.1%) and drinking guidelines (63.9%), whereas only 34.4% supported banning outdoor alcohol advertising. Americans reporting that alcohol had no effect/decreased cancer risk had lower odds of support for advertising ban (OR=0.56), warning labels (OR=0.43), and guidelines (OR=0.46) than Americans aware of the alcohol-cancer link. Moreover, heavier drinkers had lower odds of support for advertising ban (OR=0.41), warning labels (OR=0.59), and guidelines (OR=0.60) than nondrinkers. Awareness of the alcohol-cancer link was associated with policy support. Increasing public awareness of the alcohol-cancer link may increase support for alcohol control policies.

Increasing Alcohol Control Policy Support: The Mediating Role of Empathy and Emotions

Background: Mass media messages have the potential to reduce alcohol-related harm through increasing support for alcohol-control policies. Objectives: In Study 1, we experimentally examined the incidental effects of alcohol mention in news articles about accidents and crime and found evidence that messages mentioning alcohol as a causal factor in the accident or crime can activate empathic and emotional responses, which in turn increase support for alcohol control policy. In Study 2, anti-drinking and driving public service announcements (PSAs) were edited to either portray consequences of drinking and driving for the driver only or for both the driver and innocent others. Results: The versions of the PSAs that showed consequences to others were more successful at eliciting alcohol-control policy support than the versions showing only consequences to the self. As hypothesized, empathy that was directed toward victims (but not drivers under the influence) and negative emotions were supported as mediators of this relationship. Although negative affect and feelings of empathy for the victims of drunk driving are not pleasant emotions to experience, they appear to play an important role in increasing support for public policies to increase safety without having a negative impact on viewer’s evaluations of the PSA. Conclusions: Results from the two studies provide evidence that empathy and emotions can play a mediating role between message characteristics (either intentional or incidental) and alcohol control policy support.

Policy Influencer and General Public Support for Proposed Alcohol Healthy Public Policy Options in Alberta and Quebec, Canada

Although alcohol consumption is considered a major modifiable risk factor for chronic disease, policies to reduce alcohol-related harm remain low on the Canadian policy agenda. The objective of this study was to understand support for population-level healthy public policies to reduce alcohol-related harm by assessing the attitudes of policy influencers and the public in two Canadian provinces, and by sociodemographic characteristics. A stratified sample of the general public (n = 2,400) and a census sample of policy influencers (n = 302) in Alberta and Quebec participated in the 2016 Chronic Disease Prevention Survey, which included questions to assess support for alcohol-specific policies. Differences in levels of support were determined by calculating differences in the proportion of support for alcohol control policies, comparing groups by regional and sociodemographic characteristics. The modified Nuffield Council on Bioethics Intervention Ladder was used to assess support according to the level of individual intrusiveness. We found that policy influencers and general public respondents were supportive of both information-based policies, with the exception of warning labels, and more restrictive policies targeting youth (e.g., enforcement). Both groups were less favorable to alcohol-specific policies that guided choice through disincentives (e.g., taxation). There were more differences in policy support by sociodemographic characteristics among the public. For health advocates to advance policies to reduce alcohol-related harms at the population level, they will need to mobilize additional support for more intrusive, yet more effective, policy interventions. Advocacy efforts should focus on communicating the effectiveness and positive outcomes of these interventions to help garner support.

How Attitudes toward Alcohol Policies Differ across European Countries: Evidence from the Standardized European Alcohol Survey (SEAS).

Alcohol policy endorsements have changed over time, probably interacting with the implementation and effectiveness of alcohol policy measures. The Standardized European Alcohol Survey (SEAS) evaluated public opinion toward alcohol policies in 20 European locations (19 countries and one subnational region) in 2015 and 2016 (n = 32,641; 18–64 years). On the basis of the SEAS report, we investigated regional differences and individual characteristics related to categories of alcohol policy endorsement. Latent class analysis was used to replicate cluster structure from the SEAS report and to examine individual probabilities of endorsement. Hierarchical quasi-binomial regression models were run to analyze the relative importance of variables of interest (supranational region, gender, age, educational achievement, and drinking status) on class endorsement probability, with random intercepts for each location. The highest support for alcohol control policies was recorded in Northern countries, which was in contrast to the Eastern countries, where the lowest support for control policies was found. Across all locations, positive attitudes toward control policies were associated with the female gender, older age, and abstaining from alcohol. Our findings underline the need to communicate alcohol-related harm and the implications of alcohol control policies to the public in order to increase awareness and support for such policies in the long run.

The impact of high profile restrictions on support for alcohol control policies.

Public support for restrictions on late night trading of licensed venues increased substantially between 2001 and 2013, a period with very few policy interventions in Australia. In early 2014 a set of high profile restrictions were introduced in Sydney, New South Wales. In this study, we examine whether these 2014 policy interventions affected public support for late trading restrictions. We use data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, focussing especially on the 2013 (n = 23 521) and 2016 (n = 23 425) waves. A series of regression models with interaction terms between socio-demographic variable and year were used to examine how trends in support for late trading policies varied between different population groups. Support for late trading restrictions fell substantially between 2013 and 2016-from 2.58 to 2.35 on a 0-4 point scale. In particular, support fell more in New South Wales than in other jurisdictions. Among New South Wales residents, support fell more for middle-aged and older respondents and more for drinkers than non-drinkers. Support for late trading restrictions fell sharply, especially among those affected in New South Wales. Advocates for public health-oriented alcohol policy restrictions need to pay attention to public support in the aftermath of policy 'wins'.

Local Support for Alcohol Control Policies and Perceptions of Neighborhood Issues in Two College Communities

ABSTRACTBackground: Although valuable, national opinion surveys on alcohol policy may be less informative for policy development at the local level. Using samples of adult residents in 2 college communities, the present study: (1) measured public support for local alcohol control policies to stem underage drinking and alcohol overservice in on-premise outlets, (2) assessed residents’ opinions regarding neighborhood problems, and (3) identified factors associated with strong policy support. Methods: We administered random-sample telephone surveys to residents aged 21 years and older in college communities located in Community 1 (N = 501; mean age = 57.4 years, SD = 14.7) and Community 2 (N = 505; mean age = 56.0 years, SD = 15.2). The response rates were typical of telephone surveys (Community 1: 33.5%; Community 2: 29.9%). We assessed support for 16 alcohol control policies and the occurrence of specific types of neighborhood incidents (e.g., witnessing intoxicated people). We used multiple regression analyses to determine factors associated with policy support. Results: Residents in Community 1 reported significantly higher weekly alcohol use, a greater number of witnessed neighborhood incidents, and a higher level of perceived neighborhood problems than did residents in Community 2. Residents in Community 1 perceived local alcohol control policies and their enforcement to be significantly stricter. Overall, policy support was high and did not differ between the communities. In both communities, higher policy support was significantly associated with being female, being older, less weekly alcohol use, and lower perceived strictness of alcohol control policies and enforcement. Conclusions: It is important for campus officials and community leaders to be aware of and publicize favorable public opinion when advocating for policy change, especially at the local level. Information on residents’ perceptions of the neighborhood issues they face can also inform local policy and enforcement efforts.

Injury News Coverage, Relative Concern, and Support for Alcohol-Control Policies: An Impersonal Impact Explanation

Research on the impersonal impact hypothesis suggests that news (especially print) coverage of health and safety risks primarily influences perceptions of risk as a societal issue, and not perceptions of personal risk. The authors propose that the impersonal impact of news—impact primarily on concerns about social-level risks—will mediate effects of news stories on support for public health policies; such effects substantively matter as evidence suggests health policies, in turn, have important effects on protective behaviors and health outcomes. In an experiment using 60 randomly selected violent crime and accident news stories manipulated to contain or not contain reference to alcohol use as a causative factor, the authors find that the effect of stories that mention alcohol as a causative factor on support for alcohol-control policies is mediated by social-level concern and not by personal-level concern. In so doing, the authors provide a theoretical explanation as well as empirical evidence regarding the potential for news coverage—including breaking or episodic news—to influence health-related public policy.

Trends in public opinion on alcohol issues during a period of increasing access to alcohol: Ontario, Canada, 1996-2011.

The aim of our paper is to present trend data concerning public opinion on alcohol policy in the Canadian province of Ontario over a 16-year period (1996-2011), to assess if the level of support for alcohol control policies changed over this period and if any changes in public support for alcohol policy parallel real changes in alcohol distribution in Ontario. Selected policy-related items from 10 probability surveys of Ontario adults were analysed by means of logistic regression. A significant decline was found for attitudes supporting restricting corner stores sales and government control of liquor stores. A weaker decline was seen for attitudes towards reducing the number of places to buy alcohol. However, an increasing trend for attitudes favouring the status quo or greater control through taxes and hours of sale was found. There was no significant trend for attitudes towards maintaining the current level or reducing the number of liquor or beer stores. While there was some variation in trends in support by demographic characteristics and drinking level, not one sector stood out. A gradual erosion of support is evident and concurrent with gradual increase in access to alcohol in Ontario during the time-period under study. The decline in support for alcohol control measures seems to be a general rather than a focused development. It appears that this was largely due to a shift in a greater percentage supporting the status quo, not a move towards increasing access to alcohol.

The ebb and flow of attitudes and policies on alcohol in Ireland 2002–2010

This paper examines the level of public support for alcohol control policies during a period of policy evolution in Ireland. A comparison of attitudes to alcohol policy at three points in time was undertaken. The first survey took place in 2002 and was repeated in 2006 and 2010 using a national quota sample of 1000 adults with face-to-face interviews. Policy areas examined were drunk-driving, price, availability and promotion. In 2002, the highest level of public support was for drink-driving countermeasures (84% favoured random breath testing) and measures to restrict alcohol promotions (67% favoured restrictions). Support for stricter measures on price and availability was lower. Trends showed a decline in support for tax increases and for early closing time, whereas support for fewer outlets (off-trade) increased. When public concerns (level of support) for stricter alcohol policies were seen to be meet, as occurred with price and hours through increased tax and reversal of opening hours, public concern/support declined. When concerns were not met, as with outlets, support continued to rise most likely influenced by greater number of off-trade outlets and cheaper alcohol. Support for liberal alcohol policies was low and the majority favoured the status quo on price and availability. Public support for policy is one element of the complexity of policymaking along with consensus building across government and management of vested interests, so that the policy outcome is seldom assured.

Changes in Norwegian public opinion on alcohol policy, 2005-2012

Aims During the last two decades there has been a substantial liberalisation of Norwegian alcohol policy in terms of increased availability of alcohol. We have studied what happens with public support for alcohol control policies in a country where the policy is liberalised. First, we summarise the findings from previous Norwegian studies on changes in attitudes toward alcohol control policies. Second, we present new empirical analyses on changes in attitudes toward a broad spectre of policies in 2005–2012, and whether the pattern of change varied according to gender, age, education and alcohol use. Design The empirical analyses were based on self-reported attitudes toward Norwegian alcohol policies from nine web surveys conducted among 20–69-year-old Norwegians (N = 12 304). Results The analyses showed increased support for a wide range of restrictive alcohol policy measures from 2005 to 2012 – both for measures that had been liberalised and those that had been stable. We found no substantial moderation by gender, age, educational level and drinking frequency, which indicates that the pattern of change was similar for various sub-groups based on such variables. Conclusions Previous research has observed a shift toward increasing support for a restrictive alcohol policy around the millennium. Current data shows that this trend has continued until 2012. We discuss the relationship between alcohol policy and public opinion, and propose that the trend may be connected to changes in value orientations, increased experience with alcohol-related harm and changes in beliefs about the harm-limiting effect of restrictive measures.

Social support for alcohol policy: Literature review

Aim: The aim of this article is to review existing research literature in order to trace changes in a level of public support for alcohol policies, their individual correlates and social/political determinants.Methods: Articles for the review were collected by SCOPUS browser which is a database of abstracts and number of citations. Articles were also searched by MEDLINE browser but the results overlapped with the results obtained by SCOPUS. In our search, we used the combination of the following words: (1) policy support and alcohol; (2) public opinion and alcohol policy and also (3) policy support and alcohol policy. In addition to a systematic review, a number of papers were included through opportunistic methods, such as searching in bibliographies and reference lists of relevant publications.Conclusions: Past decades of research on social support for alcohol control policies showed that the level of support either fluctuates or tends slowly to decline parallel with progressing economic liberalization. Nevertheless, supporters of restrictive alcohol policies still represent large proportion of the contemporary society and in combination with those satisfied with existing level of control – constitute large majority. Control measures targeting young people do enjoy more support which implicates diverting attention from strategies aimed at general adult population.

Increasing support for alcohol-control enforcement through news coverage of alcohol's role in injuries and crime.

Prior research has shown that the proportion of news stories about violent crimes, car crashes, and other unintended injuries that mention the possible contributing role of alcohol is far lower than the actual proportion of alcohol-related crimes and unintended injuries. An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that inclusion of such mention can increase concern about alcohol risks and support for alcohol-control measures, which have elsewhere been shown to decrease alcohol-related problems in community settings. Methodologically, we provide a model for experiments permitting generalization across randomly selected message stimuli. Sixty randomly selected local news stories on violent crime, motor vehicle crashes, and other unintended injuries from newspapers throughout the United States were manipulated into versions including or not including alcohol as a causative factor. Participants (n = 785) were drawn from a national online research panel representative of the U.S. population; 66% of panel members contacted agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using mixed-effect, multilevel models to permit generalization across message and participant variability. Mention of alcohol in news stories increased support for enforcement of alcohol-control laws. Efforts to increase mention of alcohol as a causative factor in news reports of violent crime and unintended injury have the potential to increase public support for alcohol-control policies.

Perceptions of alcohol policy and drinking behavior: Results of a latent class analysis of college student drinkers

Objective The purpose of this study was to extend the limited research on college student support for alcohol control policies by using a latent class analysis to examine the shared characteristics of drinking students who support or oppose such policies. Methods We used data from a sample of 2393 students drawn from a larger study on high risk drinking at a mid-western university. Data was collected between October 2005 and May 2007. We conducted a latent class analysis to identify sub-groups of drinking students based on relevant variables. Results The results of the latent class analysis yielded a model which could correctly classify 90% of the students taking the survey into one of four “classes” based upon their response to four items on the questionnaire. Conclusions Interventions would benefit from approaches that target both student perceptions and specific policies that are most conducive to student support and engagement.

Predictors of College Student Support for Alcohol Control Policies and Stricter Enforcement Strategies

Objectives: With alcohol-related problems remaining a concern on college campuses, prevention efforts are increasingly directed to addressing the environmental factors that encourage consumption. This study examined students' support for alcohol control policies, correlates of that support, and actual vs. perceived peer support. Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample of 510 college students. We conducted a three-step hierarchical regression analysis to examine predictors of policy support. Levels of personal and perceived peer support for alcohol control policies were compared. Results: Findings revealed a high level of policy support among students, with variability in support by gender, alcohol consumption levels, and drinking and driving tendencies. Additionally, compared to the percentage of students who supported each policy, a smaller percentage thought other students were supportive. Conclusions: Results provide valuable insights to inform the development of media campaigns and other environmental management initiatives.

Public Opinion on Alcohol Policies in the United States: Results from a National Survey

We surveyed the U.S. non-institutionalized population age 18+ on opinions regarding 23 alcohol control policies (N = 7,021). The cooperation rate among contacted households was 70% and the overall response rate was 54%. Results showed high levels of public support for most alcohol control policies. Over 80% support restrictions on alcohol use in public places, such as parks, beaches, concert venues, and on college campuses. Eighty-two percent support increased alcohol taxes, provided the funds are used for treatment or prevention programs. Over 60% support alcohol advertising and promotion restrictions, such as banning billboard advertising, banning promotion at sporting events, or banning liquor and beer advertising on television. Multivariate regression analyses indicated significant relationships between alcohol policy opinions and a variety of sociodemographic, political orientation, and behavioral measures. However, the absolute differences in alcohol policy support across groups is small. There is a strong base of support for alcohol control policies in the U.S., and such support is found among whites and ethnics of color, young and old, rich and poor, and conservatives, moderates, and liberals.

Civic participation by 18- to 20-year-olds as a predictor of support for alcohol control policies: the Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol project

Evidence is accumulating that federal, state, and local alcohol control policies effectively reduce alcohol consumption and subsequent alcohol-related problems among young adults (Toomey et al., 1993; Wagenaar & Farrell, 1989; Ritson, 1994; Anderson & Lehto, 1994). Increasing the legal age for consumption of alcoholic beverages from 18 years to 21 years has been associated with reduced traffic fatality rates (O'Malley & Wagenaar, 1991) and with a reduction in other problems associated with youthful alcohol use such as suicide and unintentional injury (Jones et al., 1992). Increased taxation of alcohol has been associated with decreased auto fatality rates (Cook, 1981) and with reduced alcohol-related harm (Kendell et al., 1983). Additionally, it has been estimated that car crash fatalities among 18- to 20-year-olds could be markedly reduced if beer taxation were indexed for inflation (Saffer & Grossman, 1987). Public policy development and implementation, however, require public understanding, concern and support (Leedham, 1987; Room et al., 1995; Bang & Bang, 1991; Gordis, 1991). Policies that are widely supported are more likely to be successfully implemented and enforced. Efforts to enact alcohol control policy have been hampered by the alcohol industry (Ross, 1992) and by public perception that the majority of drinkers create few problems for society (Gordis, 1991). Despite these social barriers, increasing public support for alcohol control policy is possible (Room et al., 1995). Wagenaar (1993) documents how dissemination of high-quality research results beyond the scientific community by researchers and members of community organizations influenced public opinion and contributed to many states' decision to raise the minimum legal drinking age during the 1980s. Despite generally low levels of initial support for alcohol control policies in New Zealand, a community action project combined with media attention built increased public support for alcohol control policy (Casswell et al., 1989). Support for alcohol control policies among adults varies according to the specific policy (Wagenaar & Streff, 1990; Schmid et al., 1990). In general, prevention and control efforts that impose the fewest restrictions on the behavior of non-problem drinkers are the most widely supported (Hilton & Kaskutas, 1991). Although Schmid et al. reported generally high levels of support for all alcohol control policies among adults in Minnesota, policies promoting youth protection were the most strongly supported, followed by restrictions and prohibitions such as limiting advertising and then by increased alcohol taxes. Elimination of existing alcohol control measures was the least favored. Jones-Webb et al. (1993) reported ethnic differences in support for alcohol control polices in a large survey of adults in Marin County, California. Latinos were more likely than whites to support restricted sponsorship of sports events by the alcohol industry and server liability legislation. Demographic characteristics, alcohol consumption, and certain attitudes influence support for alcohol control policies. Women are more likely than men to support alcohol control policy (Ahlstrom & Osterberg, 1992); Schmid et al., 1990; Jeffery et al., 1990; Room et al., 1995; Casswell et al., 1989; Jones-Webb et al., 1993). Older age has been associated with higher levels of support for alcohol control policies (Schmid et al., 1990; Jeffery et al., 1990; Casswell et al., 1989), whereas younger age is associated with opposition to policies that restrict alcohol (Room et al., 1995). Light drinkers are more likely than heavier drinkers to support restrictive alcohol policy (Pendleton et al., 1990; Ahlstrom & Osterberg, 1991; Schmid et al.,1990; Room et al., 1995; Jones-Webb et al., 1993). Finally, those reporting higher levels of concern about drunk driving were more supportive of restrictive alcohol policies (Wagenaar & Streff, 1990). …