tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/hazardous-drinking-60444/articlesHazardous drinking – The Conversation2019-10-18T11:20:50Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1250982019-10-18T11:20:50Z2019-10-18T11:20:50ZHere’s what’s missing in efforts to curb heavy drinking and hazing on campus<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297403/original/file-20191016-98657-1d0rzde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Colleges throughout the nation are beset with problems of alcohol and hazing on campus. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Greek-Life-Suspensions/020151405c814f858472c7f5c08f2ed8/73/0">AP Photo/Dake Kang</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Maxwell Gruver had been a student at Louisiana State University for only a few weeks in 2017 before he <a href="https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/crime_police/article_56a5184e-aeb0-11e7-9710-cb2fe0660cfc.html">died of alcohol poisoning</a> in a fraternity house hazing ritual known as “Bible study.” He and other pledges were made to chug 190-proof alcohol called Diesel for not knowing how to recite the Greek alphabet or certain facts about the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.</p>
<p>Phi Delta Theta was ultimately banned from LSU, joining a list of <a href="https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_bd5c8456-7c03-11e9-89b6-4fa9a00793e8.html">several other fraternities</a> banned at the school over the past few decades after hazing incidents. These incidents include the 1997 death of <a href="https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_bd5c8456-7c03-11e9-89b6-4fa9a00793e8.html">Ben Wynne</a>, who died after a night of heavy drinking with fraternity brothers on a pledge night.</p>
<p>In October 2019, officials at Ohio University <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/10/10/ohio-university-suspends-fraternities">suspended</a> all 15 fraternities on campus after <a href="https://www.ohio.edu/news/2019/10/ohio-university-statement-regarding-interfraternity-council-organizations">allegations</a> that at least seven of them were involved in hazing.</p>
<p>Hazing and heavy drinking have been taking place at American colleges and universities for decades. Death has been a constant companion. New fraternity members at U.S. colleges and universities have died at an average rate of <a href="http://www.hanknuwer.com/hazing-deaths/">one per year for the past 50 years</a>. Ten have died in the past three years. At least six hazing deaths since 2017 were alcohol-related.</p>
<p>Drinking and hazing on campus have led to <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2019/07/25/title-ix-lawsuit-alleges-louisiana-state-ignores-fraternity-hazing">lawsuits</a>, <a href="https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2019/10/miami-university-fraternity-members-face-criminal-charges-over-hazing-incident.html">criminal charges</a>, and <a href="https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/new-hazing-law-honors-late-fsu-student-takes-effect-tuesday/">stricter hazing laws</a>. However, an analysis of much of the research on these punitive measures shows they have done <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2016-23897-001">little to change the behavior</a> of fraternity men.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=303&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297387/original/file-20191016-98640-g68jea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=381&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Ten Louisiana State University students face hazing charges in the 2017 death of Maxwell Gruver.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/Fraternity-House-Death/444e90a88af7444f9317c94eb70d5ca5/14/0">East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office via AP</a></span>
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<p>As a researcher who has <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=v6nsu3sAAAAJ&hl=en">examined masculinity in college fraternities</a>, I conclude that the reason these efforts have not succeeded is because they fail to deal with the fact that drinking alcohol – and other risky behaviors – are deeply embedded in society’s notions about what it means to be a man.</p>
<h2>Risky rites of passage</h2>
<p>Fraternity initiations provide a rite of passage into manhood for some college men. Some young men engage in risky behaviors such as drinking in excess to prove their manhood and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-007-9233-1">gain acceptance from other men</a>. </p>
<p>Numerous studies have found that commonly-held ideas associated with masculinity, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0277953607000846">risk-taking</a>, competition and violence – things sometimes espoused by <a href="https://www.kentuckypress.com/live/title_detail.php?titleid=2033#.XaZry-dKjjA">fraternities</a> – are linked to worrisome behavior and beliefs. This may also include <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306460311001377">getting drunk</a> and <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fmen0000076">the viewing of women as lesser “objects</a>.” </p>
<p><a href="https://www.uncpress.org/book/9780807859315/the-company-he-keeps/">Historically white college fraternities</a>, which have helped define manhood on campuses for almost two centuries, help shape college drinking culture. Members of fraternities have been found to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220973.1996.11072415">binge drink more than peers who don’t belong to fraternities</a>, and <a href="https://digitalcommons.liu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1003&context=post_socanfpub">privileged fraternity men</a> have been found to drink more than their less privileged peers.</p>
<p>This leads me to the conclusion that attacking the problem of drinking necessitates dismantling the idea that drinking is part of what makes one a man. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=457&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=457&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=457&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=574&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=574&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/297382/original/file-20191016-98640-cub14i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=574&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A fraternity initiation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/fraternity-initiation-93711265">Everett Collection</a></span>
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<h2>Fraternally drinking</h2>
<p>My <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-46656-001">own research</a> used a survey to collect data from over 2,500 members of a fraternity with chapters at more than 70 U.S. colleges and universities. I found that members were more likely to drink at fraternity chapters with homophobic cultures.</p>
<p>This finding indicates fraternity men drink at least in part to prove they are not gay, and thus are real men, when they are with peers who want to be identified as heterosexual. Of course, this is just one of many reasons why young men drink.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.uncpress.org/book/9780807859315/the-company-he-keeps/">other scholars</a> have found, alcohol use affords fraternity men the chance to engage in behaviors perceived to be feminine, such as showing emotion or developing relationships with other men, without having their manhood called into question. Alcohol use, in my view, provides fraternity men with a way to prove their masculinity and at the same time escape it.</p>
<h2>Rethinking manhood</h2>
<p>What does this mean for those who hope to address problematic behaviors, such as excessive alcohol use on campus?</p>
<p>First, addressing how fraternities view manhood may be an effective way to get individual members to behave more responsibly. Whether dealing with fraternities as a whole or individual members, interventions, such as campaigns to set new social norms, should aim to reduce fear and anxieties that prevent men from being themselves, particularly around their sexual identity. Efforts should be made to challenge what it means to be a fraternity man.</p>
<p>Research indicates that marketing campaigns targeted toward men can change their attitudes and behaviors <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0886260518780411?journalCode=jiva">about sexual violence</a>. Like the 2014 <a href="http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/programs/education-awareness/no-more/psa-campaign/nfl-players-say-no-more">NO MORE campaign</a> against domestic violence and sexual assault that featured prominent NFL players, campus leaders could design campaigns that feature fraternity men denouncing homophobia and misogyny.</p>
<p>Like other programs that <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2016/07/18/campus-mens-groups-explore-what-it-means-to-be-a-dude/37419403/">help college men explore manhood</a>, forums could be convened to help fraternity men develop meaningful, deep relationships with one another without alcohol, or having their manhood called into question. These forums may strengthen relationships among fraternity men and reduce their alcohol use.</p>
<p>Since my study shows that drinking and ideas about manhood vary from one fraternity to another, “one size fits all” approaches – such as community-wide fraternity bans and prohibitions – are unlikely to change the behaviors of fraternity men. In my view, it will require <a href="http://alanberkowitz.com/articles/social%20norms%20approach-short.pdf">individual or organization-specific interventions</a>. That, it seems to me, will be more likely to curb problematic alcohol use before another death, injury or sexual assault occurs.</p>
<p>[ <em>Deep knowledge, daily.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=deepknowledge">Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter</a>. ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/125098/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adam M. McCready receives funding from Boston College and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors Association. </span></em></p>Colleges and universities have banned fraternities from campus to stave off problem drinking and hazing incidents. But a researcher says those problems are deeper than any campus ban can solve.Adam M. McCready, Visiting Assistant Professor, Higher Education & Student Affairs, University of ConnecticutLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1245442019-10-11T13:53:07Z2019-10-11T13:53:07ZThere’s a binge drinking boom among older people – and here’s what that could be doing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296533/original/file-20191010-188835-1uza268.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C0%2C3870%2C2485&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Approximately 1 in 10 people over 65 engage in binge drinking.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chaos-beer-on-wooden-table-bottles-365244674?src=KmGex01kZvT4yj6xUTwGaw-1-75">Artem Shadrin/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Although enjoying a glass of red wine now and again may be healthy for your <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030387">heart</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-glass-of-red-wine-is-good-for-your-gut-122072">gut</a>, drinking too much alcohol can put you at higher risk of developing many serious health conditions. Heavy alcohol consumption has been linked to a <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/the-risks-of-drinking-too-much/">number of health issues</a>, including developing certain types of cancer, stroke, heart and liver disease, and brain damage. In older people, drinking unhealthy levels of alcohol can be <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/facts-about-aging-and-alcohol">even more damaging to health</a>, and may cause memory loss, high blood pressure, balance problems, and worsen mental health. </p>
<p>But while many might assume that alcohol is only damaging to those who regularly drink above the recommended limits, research has also shown that <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545937/UK_CMOs__report.pdf">binge drinking can be just as harmful</a>. Binge drinking is defined as consuming at least eight units of alcohol for men (approximately four pints of beer), and six units for women, in one sitting. Binge drinking has been shown to increase the risks of death from long-term illness, accidents, and injuries. </p>
<p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545937/UK_CMOs__report.pdf">Current guidelines</a> recommend people don’t drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. That’s equivalent to seven pints of beer, or just over a bottle of wine per week. </p>
<p>Although binge drinking is <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/4/e002337.short">often associated with younger people</a>, approximately <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/datasets/adultdrinkinghabits">one in 10 people aged 65 and over</a> engage in binge drinking.</p>
<p>Recently, researchers looked at <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/3/4/e002337.short">alcohol use and risky drinking patterns</a> in older people – specifically, its relationship to other mental disorders, such as depression and dementia. It found that one in four drinkers consumed alcohol above weekly limits and more than one in five drinkers reported binge drinking over the past 12 months.</p>
<h2>Mental health and alcohol abuse</h2>
<p>Hospital admissions for mental disorders related to alcohol has <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7518507/Baby-boomers-overtake-young-people-countrys-problem-drinkers.html">risen by 21% over the past five years</a> in people aged 50 and over. These admissions are due to a range mental disorders from alcohol dependence and intoxication to memory disorders such as dementia and <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/factsheet_what_is_alcohol-related_brain_damage.pdf">Korsakoff’s syndrome</a>. Unfortunately, this is a trend that has only worsened <a href="https://theconversation.com/having-lived-hedonistic-lives-the-baby-boomers-are-drinking-themselves-into-an-early-grave-64016">over the past 15 years</a> as the “baby boomer” generation has aged. </p>
<p>In order to understand more about the impact of alcohol consumption on mental disorders, researchers looked at 190 patients aged 65 and over who were enrolled in a mental health service for older adults. The patients had a range of mental disorders, including depression and dementia. Only a third of the patients were female. </p>
<p>Using the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684823/Alcohol_use_disorders_identification_test__AUDIT_.pdf">Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test</a> (AUDIT), researchers asked participants a series of questions to rate a person’s risk of alcohol related harm. </p>
<p>The study found that men were one and a half times more likely than women to have current or past past alcohol related problems – such as injury due to alcohol consumption. They also scored an average of 2 points less on average on a <a href="https://www.ihpa.gov.au/sites/default/files/publications/smmse-guidelines-v2.pdf">dementia screening test</a>, which meant they were likely to be at a higher risk of developing dementia.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/296534/original/file-20191010-188819-1hl8vs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Alcohol related dementia is different from other types of dementia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-senior-man-addicted-alcohol-305673407?src=_9SRE5w5V8ab7SPIJ7PNVA-1-2">Photographee.eu</a></span>
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<p>There was also considerable variation in drinking patterns within participants. About one in eight patients reported drinking once a month or less, with the most common pattern being one to two units per month. However, this doesn’t indicate how much someone drank on these occasions – and whether it would be classified as binge drinking. This could only be discovered using the AUDIT questionnaire, which also asks about binge drinking. Routine clinical practices that do not use the AUDIT often only ask patients the average amount they drink per week, rather than the maximum amount on any one day. This would mean missing out valuable information about binge drinking.</p>
<h2>Providing support</h2>
<p>This study shows that many older people aren’t receiving much support when it comes to monitoring and reducing their drinking behaviours. It showed that many older people aren’t often asked about their drinking habits – something that health care practitioners <a href="https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/smoking-drinking-and-drug-use-among-young-people-in-england/2018">are more likely to ask younger people</a>.By asking more often, health care workers might be able to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17523281.2012.754785">help reduce</a> risky drinking behaviours by providing the right support and help in reducing alcohol consumption. </p>
<p>The study also found that older men who regularly drink above weekly limit or binge drink are at higher risk of developing certain types of dementia. Alcohol related dementia is <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ADD-06-2016-0014/full/htm">different from other types of dementia</a>, as it damages the frontal lobes of the brain and may lead to <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ADD-06-2016-0014/full/html">changes in personality</a>, such as being more impulsive and having difficulty controlling emotions. </p>
<p>Not only can having an expert diagnosis help with treatment, it also means alcohol related dementia can be detected in its early stages – which might mean some of its <a href="https://www.mentalhealthtoday.co.uk/alcohol-related-dementia-under-detected-unique-in-profile-and-often-partially-reversible">effects can be partially reversed</a>. </p>
<p>New clinical services that can assess both <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/17570971111155595/full/html">alcohol related disorders and mental health disorders</a> might be one way of ensuring that older adults receive necessary support and treatment for both mental health and disordered drinking.</p>
<p>The government has also <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/community-mental-health-framework-for-adults-and-older-adults.pdf">created guidance</a> to help detect and reduce alcohol related harm to older people. Mental disorders and risky drinking can be present at the same time in older people, but the common perception is that these are problems that <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l5112">only affect younger people</a>. By creating greater support and a sense of community for those suffering, it can help aid in treatment and prevent binge drinking for continuing to be an undetected problem in older populations.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124544/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tony Rao does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Providing support and treatment might help reduce harmful drinking behaviours in seniors.Tony Rao, Visiting Lecturer in Old Age Psychiatry, King's College LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1211152019-08-12T20:03:40Z2019-08-12T20:03:40ZQueenslanders are among our heaviest drinkers on nights out, and changing that culture is a challenge<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287143/original/file-20190807-84240-1kugd6f.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Queenslanders are drinking heavily when they go out and breathalyser tests show most don't realise how drunk they are.</span> </figcaption></figure><p><em>This is the second in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/quantem-74665">series of articles</a> discussing a <a href="http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/7/26/evaluation-of-measures-to-tackle-alcoholfuelled-violence">recently released</a> <a href="https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2019/5619T1074.pdf">comprehensive evaluation</a> of the Queensland government’s <a href="https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/act-2016-004#">2016 policy reforms to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence</a> and the implications for liquor regulation and the night-time economy in Queensland and Australia. A <a href="http://quantem.info/">summary report</a> is also available.</em></p>
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<p><a href="https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2019/5619T1074.pdf">Our evaluation</a> of the Queensland government’s 2016 “<a href="https://www.thepremier.qld.gov.au/newsroom/alcohol-fuelled-violence.aspx">Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence</a>” (TAFV) policy has found Queenslanders are still drinking more heavily than people in other states when going out at night. </p>
<p>Despite <a href="https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-queensland-on-alcohol-violence-and-the-night-time-economy-121114">significant reductions in serious assaults and other health-related outcomes</a>, reported levels of aggression are also high. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-queensland-on-alcohol-violence-and-the-night-time-economy-121114">Lessons from Queensland on alcohol, violence and the night-time economy</a>
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<p>Queenslanders report much higher levels of aggression than reported in our previous studies, which asked the same question in <a href="http://www.deakinvpg.info/dashed">Canberra, Hobart</a>, <a href="http://www.deakinvpg.info/pointed">Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Wollongong, Geelong</a> and <a href="http://www.deakinvpg.info/dante">Newcastle</a>.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287147/original/file-20190807-84210-39li2s.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Table 1. Percentage of interviewees who report being involved in aggression in and around night-time entertainment precincts in the previous three months.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2019/5619T1074.pdf">QUANTEM final report</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Female patrons reported experiencing more of all types of aggression than men across all precincts. The next article in this series highlights the worrying number of women who experience unwanted sexual attention while out.</p>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/unwanted-sexual-attention-plagues-young-women-going-out-at-night-121116">Unwanted sexual attention plagues young women going out at night</a>
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<p>To measure the impact of the 2016 policy changes on alcohol consumption, illicit drug use and aggression, our research teams conducted <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4811-9">street intercept surveys</a> on Saturday nights in Fortitude Valley (Brisbane), Surfers Paradise and Cairns between 2016 and 2018. All participants were breathalysed. Every fifth person was invited to participate in a saliva drug swab. </p>
<p>Across the precincts, 4,401 people – 57% of them male – completed surveys. </p>
<h2>Blood alcohol concentration (BAC)</h2>
<p>Half of patrons’ blood alcohol concentration (BAC in g/dL) readings were over 0.077 (the median value, with a range of 0.000-0.300) in Fortitude Valley, 0.086 (range 0.000-0.290) in Surfers Paradise and 0.087 (range 0.000-0.289) in Cairns. The highest reading, 0.300, is six times the legal driving limit.</p>
<p>These median BAC levels are much higher than other, previously studied cities. The results highlight the challenges of achieving change in Queensland’s drinking culture.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=277&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=348&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=348&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/287337/original/file-20190808-144892-1m484o4.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=348&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Table 2. Patrons’ median blood alcohol concentration (BAC in g/dL) and range of readings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2019/5619T1074.pdf">QUANTEM final report</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>Interestingly, most patrons are more drunk than they <em>think</em> they are. Before undertaking a breath test patrons were asked to guess their level of intoxication. For example, in Cairns, patrons’ median guess of their BAC reading was 0.070, compared to the measured median of 0.087. </p>
<h2>Pre-drinking</h2>
<p>High alcohol consumption when going out to night-time entertainment precincts includes <a href="https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article/54/4/378/5486344">pre-drinking</a> (drinking at home before going out; also known as pre-gaming, pre-partying or pre-loading in other countries). As our research teams have documented <a href="http://www.deakinvpg.info/pointed">since 2012</a>, pre-drinking has continued to increase. </p>
<p>With 84% of all patrons reporting pre-drinking before going out, Queensland shows higher levels than in most other previously studied cities. </p>
<p>Overall, male patrons drank significantly more than female patrons when pre-drinking. In Fortitude Valley, though, female patrons were significantly more likely to pre-drink than males.</p>
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<p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/womens-alcohol-consumption-catching-up-to-men-why-this-matters-67454">Women's alcohol consumption catching up to men: why this matters</a>
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<p>It’s a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.12525">common belief</a> that patrons choose to pre-drink to avoid buying more expensive drinks while they’re out in bars or clubs. But we found patrons who reported pre-drinking were more likely to drink more heavily across the night. They also reported drinking for longer than those who did not pre-drink.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/TabledPapers/2019/5619T1074.pdf">Our report</a> also shows the rate of pre-drinking across the precincts remained mostly stable in the two years after the TAFV policy was introduced in 2016. This suggests it did not affect rates of pre-drinking.</p>
<h2>Illicit drug use</h2>
<p>Rates of self-reported illicit drug use varied between precincts, from 13% of patrons in Fortitude Valley to 25% of all patrons in Surfers Paradise.</p>
<p>Ecstasy was the most commonly used illicit substance reported by patrons (5.5%), followed by cannabis (4%).</p>
<p>Among those who completed saliva drug swabs, the most commonly detected substances were amphetamines in Fortitude Valley and Cairns. In Surfers Paradise, however, it was methamphetamine; with 23.5% of patrons interviewed in Surfers Paradise testing positive for the substance.</p>
<p>Although rates of illicit drug use fluctuated in the two years after the TAFV policy was introduced, overall rates remained largely stable. This indicates the policy did not result in a clear increase or decrease in illicit drug use.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/fact-check-only-drugs-and-alcohol-together-cause-violence-12466">Fact check: only drugs and alcohol together cause violence</a>
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<h2>So what does it all mean?</h2>
<p>Historically, Queensland has high levels of harmful consumption of alcohol, especially in high-risk groups. Around <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.001%7E2017-18%7EMain%20Features%7EAlcohol%20consumption%7E100">46% of Queenslanders</a> have exceeded single-occasion risk guidelines in the past year, higher than in New South Wales and Victoria. </p>
<p>There has been significant investment in education campaigns across social media and in schools. Despite this, Queenslanders continue to show hazardous levels of alcohol consumption, illicit drug use and experiences of aggression. </p>
<p>Changing cultural patterns relating to pre-drinking and alcohol-related harms will not be easy. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dar.12274">Previous research</a> suggests further tightening of licensed venues’ trading hours will help. Our report recommendations include introducing a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26098040">minimum unit price on alcohol</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19594797">promoting low-risk drinking guidelines</a> at all points of sale across Queensland. </p>
<p>Our report also recommends trialling live music early in the night to try to bring people into entertainment districts earlier. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/tighter-alcohol-licensing-hasnt-killed-live-music-but-its-harder-for-emerging-artists-121117">Tighter alcohol licensing hasn't killed live music, but it's harder for emerging artists</a>
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<p>Despite the promising results of government policy efforts to date, our evaluation suggests the work to reduce alcohol-related harm across Queensland is not finished. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/factcheck-can-you-change-a-violent-drinking-culture-by-changing-how-people-drink-38426">FactCheck: can you change a violent drinking culture by changing how people drink?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121115/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jason Ferris receives funding from from Australian Research Council and Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, grants from State (Tasmania, Victoria, Queensland) and Federal Governments, National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, University of Queensland, National Institute of Health, Global Drug Survey. He is affiliated with the Global Drug Survey and the Queensland Mental Health Commission.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cheneal Puljevic was a member of the research team led by Deakin University (Peter Miller) and The University of Queensland (Jason Ferris) to evaluate the Queensland Government’s “Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence” (TAFV) legislation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Miller receives funding from Australian Research Council and Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, grants from NSW Government, National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, Cancer Council Victoria, Central Australian Aboriginal Congress, Northern Territory government, Australian Rechabites Foundation, Northern Territory Primary Health Network, Lives Lived Well, Queensland government and Australian Drug Foundation, travel and related costs from Queensland Police Service, Queensland Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing and the Australasian Drug Strategy Conference. He has acted as a paid expert witness on behalf of a licensed venue and a security firm. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Barbara Wood does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Even after ‘Tackling Alcohol-Fuelled Violence’ policies took effect in 2016, Queenslanders still drink more heavily on nights out. Reported levels of aggression are higher than in other states too.Jason Ferris, Associate Professor, Program Leader for Research and Statistical Support Service and Program Leader for Substance Use and Mental Health, Centre for Health Services Research, The University of QueenslandBarbara Wood, Research Assistant, The University of QueenslandCheneal Puljević, Research Fellow, Centre for Health Services Research, The University of QueenslandPeter Miller, Professor of Violence Prevention and Addiction Studies, Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1040622018-10-03T04:31:23Z2018-10-03T04:31:23ZHazardous drinking: research finds that 40% of people over 50 drink too much<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/238920/original/file-20181002-85623-b7bpzj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=287%2C278%2C5254%2C3700&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Research shows that hazardous drinking is an issue for older people.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mention hazardous drinking and most of us imagine teenagers or students getting drunk, causing havoc and filling our emergency departments on a Friday night. </p>
<p>But what if I told you that we should be just as worried about how much our parents and grandparents are drinking?</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.hpa.org.nz/research-library/research-publications/prevalence-of-hazardous-drinking-in-older-new-zealanders">latest research</a> shows that up to 40% of adults aged 50 and over are hazardous drinkers. This increases to almost 50% for men in this age group.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/beer-bongs-and-baby-boomers-the-unlikely-tale-of-drug-and-alcohol-use-in-the-over-50s-82753">Beer, bongs and baby boomers: the unlikely tale of drug and alcohol use in the over 50s</a>
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<h2>Alcohol-related risk for older adults</h2>
<p>Alcohol is the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/23/baby-boomers-drink-and-drug-misuse-needs-urgent-action-warn-experts">drug of choice for baby boomers</a>. However, the older we get the lower the threshold for hazardous drinking is for two key reasons. First, ageing bodies can’t process alcohol as well as they used to so we get drunk faster and feel the effects more. Second, the older we get the more likely we are to have developed health conditions that alcohol exacerbates and to use medication that alcohol can interfere with.</p>
<p>Despite the heightened risks, we know older adults are less likely to be screened for alcohol than other groups. Further, when screening occurs, it usually ignores the combined health and medication risk factors that place older drinkers at such high risk.</p>
<p>Our research aimed to answer three simple questions: How many older adults are hazardous drinkers? Who is most at risk of harm? Where can we find them?</p>
<h2>Hazardous drinkers</h2>
<p>We used data from more than 4,000 New Zealanders aged 50 and over in the government-funded <a href="http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/departments/school-of-psychology/research/hart/new-zealand-health-work-and-retirement-study/new-zealand-health-work-and-retirement-study_home.cfm">Health, Work and Retirement study</a> at Massey University. We compared the number of hazardous drinkers identified on two different screening tests: a standard screening and one specific to older adults. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.hepatitis.va.gov/provider/tools/audit-c.asp#S1X">Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption</a> (AUDIT-C) is a standard screening for primary health care. It assesses how often you drink, how much you drink, and how often you binge (have six or more drinks). You are a hazardous drinker if your drinking pattern puts you at risk of harm immediately (weekly binge drinking) or in the long-term (frequent moderate drinking).</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4332987/">Comorbidity Alcohol Risk Evaluation Tool</a> (CARET) is a screening specific to alcohol-related harm for older adults. It assesses drinking patterns but modifies the allowable drinking frequency, quantity and binge limits based on the presence of health conditions and health issues that alcohol can make worse, and medication that alcohol can interfere with.</p>
<p>First, we found that 83% of older New Zealanders in this sample were current drinkers, while 13% were past drinkers who no longer drank, and 4% were lifetime abstainers.</p>
<p>Second, we found the CARET classified 35% of the sample as hazardous drinkers compared to 40% on the AUDIT-C. The higher proportion on the AUDIT-C resulted from our use of a stricter threshold for hazardous drinking than used on the CARET.</p>
<p>Approximately 10% of non-hazardous drinkers on the AUDIT-C were classed as hazardous on the CARET because despite their low levels of alcohol use their existing ill health and medication use made any drinking potentially harmful.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/maybe-moderate-drinking-isnt-so-good-for-you-after-all-72266">Maybe moderate drinking isn't so good for you after all</a>
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<h2>Most at risk of harm</h2>
<p>We were able to identify key characteristics of older drinkers who were hazardous in both tests or one test only. </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Hazardous drinkers on both screens were predominantly healthy men who drank high amounts of alcohol very frequently, with monthly binge drinking</p></li>
<li><p>hazardous drinkers on AUDIT-C only were healthy men and women who drank small amounts of alcohol very frequently, with some binge drinking</p></li>
<li><p>hazardous drinkers on CARET only were unhealthy men and women who drank small amounts of alcohol frequently, with little or no binge drinking.</p></li>
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<p>This suggests GPs and practice nurses need to understand even older adults in good health require screening for their alcohol use, particularly older men. Further, any indication of very frequent drinking (five or more times a week) and binge drinking is a flag for concern. </p>
<p>Any older adults in poor health definitely require screening for alcohol use as any level of consumption may be dangerous. </p>
<h2>Where are the older hazardous drinkers</h2>
<p>For a GP or a practice nurse, older hazardous drinkers will be some of their most frequent patients. We found the majority of older hazardous drinkers saw their GP three or more times a year. Approximately 60% of drinkers whose ill health places them most at risk of harm actually visit their GP almost once a month.</p>
<p><a href="https://drinkwiseagewell.org.uk/time-called-time-ageism-alcohol-practice/">International research shows</a> health professionals are reluctant to talk to older adults about their drinking, older adults are less likely to be screened for alcohol use, and younger adults are prioritised for treatment. But the results of our study suggest the GPs office is the ideal setting to start this conversation about alcohol with older adults.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104062/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andy Towers receives funding from the New Zealand Health Promotion Agency</span></em></p>Research shows that up to 40% of adults aged 50 and over are hazardous drinkers. For men in this age group this increases to almost 50%.Andy Towers, Senior Lecturer, School of Public Health, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.