The International Alcohol Control Study: Methodology and implementation

Abstract

Introduction and AimsThe International Alcohol Control (IAC) Study is a multi‐country collaborative project to assess patterns of alcohol consumption and the impact of alcohol control policy. The aim of this paper is to report the methods and implementation of the IAC.Design and MethodsThe IAC has been implemented among drinkers 16–65 years in high‐ and middle‐income countries: Australia, England, Scotland, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, Thailand, South Africa, Peru, Mongolia and Vietnam (the latter four samples were sub‐national). Two research instruments were used: the IAC survey of drinkers and the Alcohol Environmental Protocol (a protocol for policy analysis). The survey was administered via computer‐assisted interview and the Alcohol Environmental Protocol data were collected via document review, administrative or commercial data and key informant interviews.ResultsThe IAC instruments were readily adapted for cross‐country use. The IAC methodology has provided cross‐country survey data on key measures of alcohol consumption (quantity, frequency and volume), aspects of policy relevant behaviour and policy implementation: availability, price, purchasing, marketing and drink driving. The median response rate for all countries was 60% (range 16% to 99%). Where data on alcohol available for consumption were available the validity of survey consumption measures were assessed by calculating survey coverage found to be 86% or above. Differential response bias was handled, to the extent it could be, using post‐stratification weights.Discussion and ConclusionsThe IAC study will allow for cross‐country analysis of drinking patterns, the relationship between alcohol use and policy relevant behaviour in different countries.

Availability of alcohol: Location, time and ease of purchase in high‐ and middle‐income countries: Data from the International Alcohol Control Study

“…For further details refer to Huckle et al . . The demographic characteristics of the samples can be found in Table S1.…”

“…Volume of alcohol consumed by respondents who purchased on‐premise or to take‐away was calculated using a within‐location beverage‐specific measure used to collect alcohol consumption data in each country (please see Huckle et al . for further details). From this measure, the proportion of the total volume consumed on‐premise versus take‐away was determined.…”

Socio‐economic disadvantage is associated with heavier drinking in high but not middle‐income countries participating in the International Alcohol Control Study

“…For further details on sampling please see Huckle et al . 2018 . Interviews were conducted via computer‐assisted interviewing either over the phone or face‐to‐face using android tablets.…”

“…This information was then used to calculate the typical occasion quantity and frequency of drinking (please see Huckle et al . for further details).…”

International Alcohol Control Study: Analyses from the first wave

“…This affected implementation, but the goal of the methodology, described in the first section, was to provide a framework to allow data to be as comparable as possible in very different alcohol markets. In relation to aspects which necessarily differed—for example, the sampling designs employed—analytical techniques have been employed to minimise the effect in the analyses .…”