Alcohol Availability, Use, and Harms Among Adolescents in Three Mexican Cities

Alcohol remains readily available to youth in most countries. We examined the associations between both the on- and off-premises commercial availability of alcohol to youth and their alcohol use, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol-related harms. We conducted the study using data from a survey of a sample of 594 students in central Mexico between 12 and 17 years of age in 2016. Both the perceived availability of alcohol and the purchasing of alcohol at an off-premises establishment were positively related to past-30-day alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking, as well as to alcohol-related harms in the past year. Consumption at on-premises establishments was also positively associated with alcohol-related harms. Preventive efforts to reduce the availability of alcohol at off- and on-premises establishments, by such strategies as mystery shopper and responsible beverage service programs, are imperative.

Responsible Beverage Service Practices: Comparison between India and Australia

Sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages have been rising globally. This is making the alcohol industry worth over $1344 billion today. This rise in alcohol consumption has not been without its gray shades in the form of alcohol abuse, alcohol-related crimes, accidents and deaths. This paper studies and compares the Responsible Beverage Service practices between India and Australia to understand its scope and impact. The study draws upon review and analysis of research and data from literature and alcohol policies of the two countries. The study reveals the similarities and differences in the approach towards Responsible Beverage Service between these two countries and suggests methods to strengthen this practice in India.

Attitudes and Practices Regarding Responsible Beverage Service: Focus Group Discussions With Bar and Restaurant Management and Staff

Staff and management of bars and restaurants are the key players in assuring responsible beverage service (RBS) and preventing the overservice of alcohol to intoxicated patrons. We conducted six focus group discussions ( N = 42) with management and staff from bars and restaurants about RBS. We compared findings from these current discussions to results of focus group discussions conducted in the 1990s. In comparison to the earlier focus group discussions, we found that many managers and staff members had experience with RBS training programs, establishments generally had written alcohol service policies, and managers and staff members perceived greater likelihood of facing consequences from law enforcement for serving underage youth. Managers and servers also expressed greater concern about overservice of alcohol but did not report greater concern about potential legal consequences for overservice of alcohol than participants from the 1990s focus groups. Results of this study can inform training and enforcement approaches to addressing overservice of alcohol.

Implementation of a Multicomponent Responsible Beverage Service Programme in Sweden – A Qualitative Study of Promoting and Hindering Factors

AIMS – The objective of this study was to identify factors that either promote or hinder implementation of a multicomponent Responsible Beverage Service programme in Swedish municipalities. DESIGN – Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted in six municipalities and directed content analysis, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), was performed. RESULTS – The CFIR framework was useful as an underlying theoretical model in this study. Importance of the following factors, described in the five domains of CFIR, was empirically supported in this study: local needs, evidence strength and advantages of the intervention, costs and available resources, clear goals, evaluation and feedback, access to knowledge and information, clear role definitions and cooperation, and enthusiastic key persons with high confidence in the effectiveness of the intervention. Hindering factors listed by the informants were lack of enthusiasm and opportunities to specialise, low degree of self-efficacy, unengaged decision-makers, complexities of the programme, and a top-down approach. CONCLUSIONS – This study indicates that previously identified factors shown to promote and hinder implementation processes are also valid in the context of multicomponent community action programmes like RBS. Suggestions on how to elude some of the hindering factors are proposed, e.g. to develop long-time financial plans, to provide better information about the RBS program in full, and to stress the importance of collaboration between representatives from the municipalities, police authorities and owners of on-licenced premises.