scholarly journals Awareness of alcohol marketing, ownership of alcohol branded merchandise, and the association with alcohol consumption, higher-risk drinking, and drinking susceptibility in adolescents and young adults: a cross-sectional survey in the UK

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e025297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Critchlow ◽  
Anne Marie MacKintosh ◽  
Christopher Thomas ◽  
Lucie Hooper ◽  
Jyotsna Vohra

ObjectivesTo explore awareness of alcohol marketing and ownership of alcohol branded merchandise in adolescents and young adults in the UK, what factors are associated with awareness and ownership, and what association awareness and ownership have with alcohol consumption, higher-risk drinking and susceptibility.DesignOnline cross-sectional survey conducted during April–May 2017.SettingThe UK.ParticipantsAdolescents and young adults aged 11–19 years in the UK (n=3399).Main outcome measuresAlcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C) (0–12) and indication of higher-risk consumption (>5 AUDIT-C) in current drinkers. Susceptibility to drink (yes/no) in never drinkers.ResultsEighty-two per cent of respondents were aware of at least one form of alcohol marketing in the past month and 17% owned branded merchandise. χ2tests found that awareness of marketing and ownership of branded merchandise varied within drinking variables. For example, higher awareness of alcohol marketing was associated with being a current drinker (χ2=114.04, p<0.001), higher-risk drinking (χ2=85.84, p<0.001), and perceived parental (χ2=63.06, p<0.001) and peer approval of consumption (χ2=73.08, p<0.001). Among current drinkers, multivariate regressions (controlling for demographics and covariates) found that marketing awareness and owning branded merchandise was positively associated with AUDIT-C score and higher-risk consumption. For example, current drinkers reporting medium marketing awareness were twice as likely to be higher-risk drinkers as those reporting low awareness (adjusted OR (AOR)=2.18, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.42, p<0.001). Among never drinkers, respondents who owned branded merchandise were twice as likely to be susceptible to drinking as those who did not (AOR=1.98, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.24, p<0.01).ConclusionsYoung people, above and below the legal purchasing age, are aware of a range of alcohol marketing and almost one in five own alcohol branded merchandise. In current drinkers, alcohol marketing awareness was associated with increased consumption and greater likelihood of higher-risk consumption. In never drinkers, ownership of branded merchandise was associated with susceptibility.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (20) ◽  
pp. 4646
Author(s):  
Victorien L. M. N. Soomers ◽  
Emma Lidington ◽  
Bhawna Sirohi ◽  
Michael A. Gonzalez ◽  
Anne-Sophie Darlington ◽  
...  

Purpose: Teenagers and young adults (TYAs; aged 13–24) experience prolonged intervals to cancer diagnosis. Insight into diagnostic intervals in young adults (YAs; aged 25–39) and subgroups at risk for long intervals is lacking. We investigated the diagnostic pathway of YA cancer patients, examined patient and tumor characteristics associated with its length, and compared the patient interval length of our sample with a TYA cohort. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey YAs diagnosed with cancer in the UK in the past five years completed a questionnaire describing their patient (time from first symptom to first doctor consultation) and healthcare interval (from first consultation until consultation with a cancer specialist), sociodemographic, and clinical characteristics. Associations between characteristics and interval length were examined and compared with previously published data in TYAs. Results: Among 341 YAs the patient interval lasted ≥2 weeks, ≥1 month, and ≥3 months in 60%, 42%, and 21%, respectively, compared to 48%, 27%, and 12% in the TYA group. The healthcare interval lasted ≥2 weeks, ≥1 month, and ≥3 months in 62%, 40%, and 17% of YA patients, respectively. YAs with melanoma or cervical cancer were most likely to experience long intervals, whereas YAs with breast cancer and leukemia were most likely to experience short intervals. Conclusions: Most YAs were not seen by a cancer specialist within 2 weeks of GP consultation. Interval lengths in YAs were associated with cancer diagnosis. Patient intervals were longer among YAs than among TYAs. Our study highlights long diagnostic pathways among YAs and calls for more awareness among healthcare professionals about malignancies in this age group.


Author(s):  
S Boniface ◽  
N Critchlow ◽  
K Severi ◽  
A M MacKintosh ◽  
L Hooper ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims In the UK, adolescents under the minimum legal purchasing age (&lt;18 years) are aware of a variety of alcohol marketing activities. It is therefore important to examine how such marketing appeals and how it might shape consumption. This study assessed the relationships between positive reactions to alcohol adverts and susceptibility to drink among never drinkers and higher-risk drinking among current drinkers. Methods Online cross-sectional survey of 11–17 year olds (n = 2582) in the UK. Adolescents were shown three video alcohol adverts (Fosters Radler/Haig Club Clubman/Smirnoff). Reactions to each were measured by eight scale-items (e.g. 1 = makes [Brand] seem unappealing to 5 = makes [Brand] seem appealing), which were combined into a composite score (coded: positive versus other). Logistic regressions assessed associations between overall positive advert reactions and drinking behaviours. Results Half of adolescents had overall positive reactions to the Smirnoff (52%) and Fosters (53%) adverts, and a third (34%) had a positive reaction to the Haig Club advert. Across all three adverts, positive reactions were associated with ~1.5 times increased odds of being susceptible to drink among never drinkers. Among current drinkers, positive reactions to the Foster’s Radler and Haig Club adverts were associated with around 1.4 times increased odds of being a higher-risk drinker. Conclusions These alcohol advertisements commonly appealed to underage adolescents, and these reactions were associated with susceptibility among never drinkers and higher-risk consumption among current drinkers. Regulatory consideration should be given to what messages are permitted in alcohol advertising, including international alternatives (e.g. only factual information).


2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 554-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen Varty ◽  
Lori L. Popejoy

The transition of chronically ill adolescents and young adults to adult health care is poorly managed, leading to poor outcomes due to insufficient disease knowledge and a lack of requisite skills to self-manage their chronic disease. This review analyzed 33 articles published between 2009 and 2019 to identify factors associated with transition readiness in adolescents and young adults with chronic diseases, which can be used to design effective interventions. Studies were predominantly cross-sectional survey designs that were guided by interdisciplinary research teams, assessed adolescents and young adults ages 12–26 years, and conducted in the outpatient setting. Modifiable factors, including psychosocial and self-management/transition education factors, and non-modifiable factors, including demographic/ecological and disease factors, associated with transition readiness were identified. Further research is necessary to address gaps identified in this review prior to intervention development, and there is a need for additional longitudinal studies designed to provide perspective on how transition readiness changes over time.


Author(s):  
Avril Keating ◽  
Gabriella Melis

AbstractYoung adults tend to be more optimistic about the future than older people, even during social and economic crises such as those created by the COVID pandemic. In this paper, we analyse survey data from a previous economic crisis to examine why young adults remain optimistic about their personal futures, and to consider what lessons, if any, this can help us with thinking about a post-COVID future. The data in question are drawn from a unique cross-sectional survey of young adults aged 22–29 in England, Scotland and Wales conducted in 2014, when youth unemployment in the UK was still extraordinarily high. Using these data, we assess the effect of resources, agency and individualism on young adults’ optimism. Multiple regression models of these data show that individual resources and individual attitudes not only have an independent effect on levels of youth optimism, but they can also interact. In particular, we argue that self-efficacy is the strongest predictor of youth optimism, together with educational resources, but we also show that some youth attitudes (namely individualism) affect youth optimism in different ways, depending on the level of individual-level resources available to the young person. These findings highlight the complexity of understanding youth optimism and point us towards possibilities for supporting young adults in post-pandemic times.


2021 ◽  
pp. 019372352110671
Author(s):  
Richard I. Purves ◽  
Nathan Critchlow ◽  
Richard Giulianotti ◽  
Kate Hunt ◽  
Stephen Morrow ◽  
...  

Availability of alcohol at football matches in the UK is much debated and subject to multiple restrictions, yet there is little understanding of supporters’ attitudes. A cross-sectional survey of football supporters in Scotland and England (n  =  1750) was conducted April–June 2019. Most supporters viewed drinking at matches as acceptable (74.4%) and thought alcohol should be available at grounds (76.0%); around two-fifths thought most supporters consumed alcohol before matches (44.1%); but only a quarter (26.6%) thought disorder at matches was due to alcohol. Attitudes varied by supporter characteristics: supporters who were younger, in England, or more regular match-goers were more favourable towards alcohol consumption and availability at matches. We conclude that alcohol regulations in some nations and sports – where restrictions are based on historical disorder – may no longer be appropriate.


Author(s):  
John A Cunningham ◽  
Alexandra Godinho

Abstract Background To provide a preliminary test of the prediction that fewer former heavy drinkers will identify themselves as being in recovery in the UK versus the USA. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was completed by a convenience sample of former heavy drinkers. This sample was identified from participants recruited to complete a questionnaire about alcohol consumption. The recruitment advertisement specified that the participants did not need to drink alcohol. The survey included items assessing self-reported current and past levels of alcohol consumption, alcohol dependence at time of heaviest alcohol consumption (ICD-10 criteria), and questions regarding identifying as currently or ever being in recovery taken from a survey by Kelly et al. (2018). Results Out of 5002 participants who completed the questionnaire, 150 were identified as former heavy drinkers from the UK or the USA. The proportion of participants reporting alcohol dependence, and the proportion of participants reporting past year abstinence, did not differ significantly between the UK and the USA (p = .841 and 0.300 respectively). Compared to participants from the UK, participants in the USA were more likely to report that they had a problem with drinking but now no longer do (24.1 % vs. 56.0 %; p < .001), and that they currently identified (4.2 % vs. 21.2 %; p = .003) or ever identified (7.4 % vs. 30.2 %; p = .001) as being in recovery. Conclusions Identifying as being in recovery appears more common in the USA than the UK among former heavy drinkers. This apparent difference in prevalence may reflect historic differences in treatment services offered in these countries, particularly with respect to the predominance of a 12-step approach in the USA. These findings should be replicated in a representative sample.


Author(s):  
Claire L Niedzwiedz ◽  
Michael Green ◽  
Michaela Benzeval ◽  
Desmond D Campbell ◽  
Peter Craig ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundThere are concerns that COVID-19 mitigation measures, including “lockdown” may have unintended health consequences. We examined trends in mental health and health behaviours in the UK before and during the COVID-19 lockdown and differences across population subgroups.MethodsRepeat cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of the UK Household Longitudinal Survey, including representative samples of adults (aged 18+) interviewed in four surveys between 2015 and 2020 (n=48,426). 9,748 adults had complete data for longitudinal analyses. Psychological distress was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ). Binary outcomes were created for loneliness, current smoking and use of e-cigarettes. Alcohol consumption was assessed using three binary measures assessing frequent, binge and heavy drinking. Cross-sectional weighted prevalence estimates were calculated and multilevel Poisson regression assessed associations between time period and the outcomes of interest, as well as differential effects by age, gender, education level and ethnicity.ResultsPsychological distress substantially increased one month into the COVID-19 lockdown, with the prevalence rising from 19.4% (95% CI 18.7%-20.0%) in 2017-19 to 30.3% (95% CI 29.1%-31.6%) in April 2020. Women’s mental health was particularly affected, as was that of the most educated and young adults. Loneliness remained stable overall. Smoking and e-cigarette use declined and the proportion of people drinking on four or more days per week increased, as did binge drinking.ConclusionsPsychological distress increased one month into lockdown, particularly among women and young adults. Smoking declined, but the frequency of alcohol consumption increased. Effective treatment and prevention are required to mitigate adverse impacts on health.What is already known on this topicCountries around the world have implemented radical COVID-19 lockdown measures, with concerns that these may have unintended consequences for a broad range of health outcomes.Evidence on the impacts of lockdown measures on mental health and health-related behaviours remains limited.What this study addsIn the UK, psychological distress markedly increased during the lockdown, with women particularly adversely affected.Smoking and e-cigarette use fell, but the frequency of alcohol consumption and binge drinking increased.


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