One on every corner: the relationship between off-licence density and alcohol harms in young people.

摘要

Alcohol Concern’s Youth Policy project commissioned Dr Nikki Coghill, Senior Research Fellow at the University of the West of England, to conduct some statistical analysis into the density of off-licensed premises and alcohol harms in young people in selected areas of England. As far as we are aware, this is the first study of its kind in this country to focus on the links between off-licence density and harms in under-18s. ududThe analysis uncovered a moderate but statistically significant relationship between the density of off-licensed premises and alcohol specific hospital admissions in young people under-18-years-old per 100,000 of population. Our findings suggest that the greater the availability of alcohol, the greater the risk of young people suffering alcohol harm. Therefore, the changing nature of where we buy and consume alcohol may have an impact on the risk of harms to young people. ududLimitations in the recording of alcohol-related conditions in hospitals and A&E departments means that the results from this study are likely to be an under-representation of the true picture of harms impacting on young people. Effective harm prevention therefore not only requires targeting education, information and support at an individual level among young people, but control of the concentration of alcohol outlets at a community level.