Associations between proximity and density of local alcohol outlets and alcohol use among Scottish adolescents

Associations between different alcohol outcomes and outlet density measures vary between studies and may not be generalisable to adolescents. In a cross-sectional study of 979 15-year old Glaswegians, we investigated the association between alcohol outlet availability (outlet density and proximity), outlet type (on-premise vs. off-premise) and frequent (weekly) alcohol consumption. We adjusted for social background (gender, social class, family structure). Proximity and density of on-premise outlets were not associated with weekly drinking. However, adolescents living close (within 200 m) to an off-sales outlet were more likely to drink frequently (OR 1.97, p=0.004), as were adolescents living in areas with many nearby off-premises outlets (OR 1.60, p=0.016). Our findings suggest that certain alcohol behaviours (e.g. binge drinking) may be linked to the characteristics of alcohol outlets in the vicinity.

[1]  P. West,et al.  We Really Do Know What You Do: A Comparison of Reports from 11 Year Olds and their Parents in Respect of Parental Economic Activity and Occupation: , 2001 .

[2]  R. Room,et al.  Alcohol and public health , 2005, The Lancet.

[3]  Surveys.,et al.  Standard occupational classification , 1990 .

[4]  Jennifer Cook Middleton,et al.  The effectiveness of limiting alcohol outlet density as a means of reducing excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms. , 2009, American journal of preventive medicine.

[5]  Kypros Kypri,et al.  Neighbourhood deprivation and access to alcohol outlets: a national study. , 2009, Health & place.

[6]  Who Europe.  European Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2010 , 2011 .

[7]  R. Room,et al.  Alcohol and non-communicable diseases (NCDs): time for a serious international public health effort. , 2011, Addiction.

[8]  P. West,et al.  A longitudinal study of alcohol use and antisocial behaviour in young people , 2007, Alcohol and alcoholism.

[9]  Douglas J Wiebe,et al.  Neighborhoods, daily activities, and measuring health risks experienced in urban environments. , 2010, Social science & medicine.

[10]  Tanya Chikritzhs,et al.  Changing the density of alcohol outlets to reduce alcohol-related problems. , 2007, Drug and alcohol review.

[11]  K. Kypri,et al.  Alcohol outlet density and university student drinking: a national study. , 2008, Addiction.

[12]  M. Kivimäki,et al.  Living in proximity of a bar and risky alcohol behaviours: a longitudinal study. , 2013, Addiction.

[13]  Alcohol Concern Youth Policy.  One on every corner: the relationship between off-licence density and alcohol harms in young people. , 2011 .

[14]  Jennifer Spaeth,et al.  Task Force on Community Preventive Services , 2009 .

[15]  Patrick Miller,et al.  The 2007 ESPAD report : substance use among students in 35 European countries , 2009 .

[16]  R. Sturm,et al.  Alcohol outlets and problem drinking among adults in California. , 2007, Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs.

[17]  R. Sturm,et al.  Alcohol environments and disparities in exposure associated with adolescent drinking in California. , 2009, American journal of public health.

[18]  C. Pollack,et al.  Neighbourhood deprivation and alcohol consumption: does the availability of alcohol play a role? , 2005, International journal of epidemiology.

[19]  Alasdair Forsyth,et al.  The socio-spatial distribution of alcohol outlets in Glasgow city. , 2010, Health & place.

[20]  B. Geiger,et al.  Alcohol in Europe: A public health perspective London: Institute of Alcohol Studies. , 2006 .

[21]  S. Casswell,et al.  Density of alcohol outlets and teenage drinking: living in an alcogenic environment is associated with higher consumption in a metropolitan setting. , 2008, Addiction.

[22]  G. Gmel,et al.  Alcohol outlet density, perceived availability and adolescent alcohol use: a multilevel structural equation model , 2008, Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

[23]  A Romelsjö,et al.  Social class, drinking and alcohol-related mortality. , 1998, Journal of substance abuse.

[24]  T. Bjarnason,et al.  The 2007 ESPAD report. Substance use among students in 35 countries. , 2009 .

[25]  P. Gruenewald,et al.  Does alcohol outlet density affect youth access to alcohol? , 2009, The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

[26]  M. Petticrew,et al.  A systematic review of the influence on alcohol use of community level availability and marketing of alcohol. , 2012, Health & place.

[27]  D. Shewan,et al.  Young People's Street Drinking Behaviour: Investigating the Influence of Marketing & Subculture , 2007 .

[28]  D. Foxcroft,et al.  Adolescent drinking behaviour and family socialization factors: a meta-analysis. , 1991, Journal of adolescence.

[29]  P. Gruenewald,et al.  Community alcohol outlet density and underage drinking. , 2010, Addiction.

[30]  Task Force on Community Preventive Services.  Recommendations for reducing excessive alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms by limiting alcohol outlet density. , 2009, American journal of preventive medicine.