Does Drinking Location Matter? Profiles of Risky Single-Occasion Drinking by Location and Alcohol-Related Harm among Young Men

Abstract

In adolescents and young adults, acute consequences like injuries account for a substantial proportion of alcohol-related harm, especially in risky single-occasion (RSO) drinkers. The primary aim of the study was to characterize different drinking profiles in RSO drinkers according to drinking locations and their relationship to negative, alcohol-related consequences. The sample consisted of 2746 young men from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors who had reported drinking six or more drinks on a single-occasion at least monthly over the preceding 12 months. Principal component analysis on the frequency and amount of drinking at 11 different locations was conducted, and 2 distinguishable components emerged: a non-party-dimension (loading high on theater/cinema, sport clubs, other clubs/societies, restaurants, and sport events) and a party-dimension (loading high on someone else’s home, pubs/bars, discos/nightclubs, outdoor public places, special events, and home). Differential impacts of drinking location profiles were observed on severe negative alcohol-related consequences (SAC). Relative to those classified as low or intermediate in both dimensions, no significant difference experiencing SAC was found among those who were classified as high in the non-party-dimension only. However, those who were classified as high in the party-dimension alone or in both dimensions were more likely to experience SAC. These differential effects remained after adjusting for alcohol consumption (volume and risky single-occasion drinking), personality traits, and peer-influence [adjusted OR = 0.83 (0.68–1.02), 1.57 (1.27–1.96), and 1.72 (1.23–2.41), respectively], indicating independent effects of drinking location on SAC. The inclusion of sociodemographic factors did not alter this association. The fact that this cluster of party-dimension locations seems to predispose young men to experiencing SAC has important implications for alcohol control policies.

Drinking locations and alcohol-related harm: Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations in a sample of young Swiss men

“…decreasing total DV by decreasing DVs in such particular locations but not in others) significantly reduces alcohol-related harm compared with holding a stable consumption in these locations. This result is consistent with previous studies indicating that drinking in discos/nightclubs or at friends' homes were more strongly related to alcohol-related problems than drinking in other locations (Bä hler et al, 2014;Casswell et al, 1993;Single & Wortley, 1993;Stockwell et al, 1992Stockwell et al, , 1993Usdan et al, 2005).…”

Understanding the Roles of Context, Frequency, and Quantity of Alcohol Consumption in Child Physical Abuse: Risks for Mothers and Fathers

“…For example, alcohol licensing distinctions between “restaurants” and “bars” are becoming increasingly imprecise in California, as more and more restaurants that serve meals during the day “morph” into bars or nightclubs in the evening (Wittman, 2012; Ponicki, Gruenewald, Remer, Martin, & Treno, 2013). Since men usually have fewer childcare duties, they may go to restaurants that are less family friendly and consequently enhance both “party-like” atmospheres and aggressive behaviors (Bahler et al., 2014). Alternatively, fathers may be more likely to be disciplinarians when families go to a nice restaurant, letting the mother “off the hook.” If going out to a restaurant without children, fathers might be more prone to use physical discipline to ensure children behave for the babysitter or use physical discipline after if the report from the babysitter is that the children misbehaved.…”

“…Conversely, fathers may drink less often in public with their children, or be less likely to be “on-duty” for disciplining practices. Instead, fathers might drink more often at bars that are not welcoming to children and may potentially promote aggressive social norms (Bahler et al, 2014; Gruenewald, Remer, & LaScala, 2014). Analyses that fail to account for gender-specific risks may mask the ways that these relationships differ for mothers and fathers.…”

The Swiss Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors – Findings of two Waves

“…In particular, drinking in bars/pubs, discos/ nightclubs and outdoor places (but not at home or in Increasing alcohol use in these settings was longitudinally associated with the increase in harm . Bähler et al (2014) further showed that, even when adjusting for the alcohol use of individuals, those who drank predominantly in public locations had higher risks for severe alcohol-related consequences. Complementing these findings, Dey, Gmel, Studer, Dermota, and MohlerKuo (2014) found that drinkers preferring beer were more likely to show risky drinking patterns than people with a mixed choice of beverages.…”