Drinking behaviours and blood alcohol concentration in four European drinking environments: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BackgroundReducing harm in drinking environments is a growing priority for European alcohol policy yet few studies have explored nightlife drinking behaviours. This study examines alcohol consumption and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in drinking environments in four European cities.MethodsA short questionnaire was implemented among 838 drinkers aged 16-35 in drinking environments in four European cities, in the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the UK. Questions included self-reported alcohol use before interview and expected consumption over the remainder of the night. Breathalyser tests were used to measured breath alcohol concentration (converted to BAC) at interview.ResultsMost participants in the Dutch (56.2%), Spanish (59.6%) and British (61.4%) samples had preloaded (cf Slovenia 34.8%). In those drinking < 3 h at interview, there were no differences in BAC by gender or nationality. In UK participants, BAC increased significantly in those who had been drinking longer, reaching 0.13% (median) in females and 0.17% in males drinking > 5 h. In other nationalities, BAC increases were less pronounced or absent. High BAC (> 0.08%) was associated with being male, aged > 19, British and having consumed spirits. In all cities most participants intended to drink enough alcohol to constitute binge drinking.ConclusionsDifferent models of drinking behaviour are seen in different nightlife settings. Here, the UK sample was typified by continued increases in inebriation compared with steady, more moderate intoxication elsewhere. With the former being associated with higher health risks, European alcohol policy must work to deter this form of nightlife.

Consumption plans for the rest of the night among Australian nightlife patrons

“…Our findings reinforce the importance of responsible service of alcohol within the nightlife, as the intention to consume more alcohol in these areas can be addressed with appropriate implementation and enforcement of such policies in licensed venues, which is in line with findings from the community-based interventions in California and Stockholm (Holder et al, 2000;Wallin et al, 2005;Wallin et al, 2003), and with recommendations by Bellis et al (2010). Most importantly, and in line with ------IJADR 6(1) ------recommendations by Hughes et al (2011), interventions that have been successful at reducing population-level consumption of alcohol, such as increased price and restricted/reduced trading hours, should be implemented, given these would likely be most effective at increasing safety in the nightlife context.…”

“…For example, Bellis et al (2010) reported that 79% of their 214 U.K. nightlife patrons intended to consume more alcohol, and 51% of those who already described themselves as drunk intended to consume more alcohol throughout the night. Hughes et al (2011) found that males across four European cities intended to consume more alcohol over the rest of the night than females, and 11% of their 838-participant sample reported having used, or intended to use, illicit drugs. Further, Reed et al (2011) found that U.S. participants interviewed entering bars later in the evening intended to get drunker than those entering earlier.…”

Incidents of harm in European drinking environments and relationships with venue and customer characteristics

“…The study took place in four European cities: Liverpool, U.K.; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and Utrecht, the Netherlands (for further information on each city, see Hughes et al, 2011a). Sixty venues were identified for inclusion in the study, 15 within each study site.…”

“…The training included a test bar observation, with research coordinators completing the schedule (and incident forms if necessary) independently after the visit and comparing and discussing ratings at a meeting the following day. The training program was then repeated by research coordinators, in their respective countries, with recruited field researchers (see Hughes et al, 2011a;.…”

“…A study of 16-to 35-year-olds in nine European cities found that the proportion of participants who reported involvement in violence in nightlife in the past 12 months ranged from 7.5% in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to 29.1% in Berlin, Germany (Schnitzer et al, 2010). In their study into nightlife drinking behaviors in young people across four European cities, Hughes et al (2011a) found that over 60% of participants expected to binge drink on the night of survey.…”