Drinkaware call for evidence on binge drinking

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Drinkaware is launching a review in support of the Government’s Alcohol Strategy to develop a coherent, well evidenced strategy with regards to the role Drinkaware could play in reducing the harm from public drunkenness and its negative consequences.

The initiative is in support of the Government’s alcohol strategy to develop new approaches to reduce binge drinking and the damage it inflicts on surrounding communities.

As part of this activity, the charity has commissioned an independent researcher** to review the existing evidence and undertake fresh research. 

The alcohol education charity is therefore calling for evidence from all interested parties to inform Drinkaware’s approach. This research will form the core of a report to be published in February 2014

Particular areas of interest relate to factors which drive ‘binge’ drinking, with an emphasis on evidence of relevance to Drinkaware’s remit of influencing through education, campaigns and local partnerships.

Specific areas of interest for submissions to the strategic review include:

• Factors which drive excessive drinking resulting in public drunkenness and harmful behaviour.  These include factors such as:

• Social norm and peer pressure
• Expectancies and attitudes
• Environmental triggers and stimuli
• The role of media and how it portrays drunkenness
• ‘pre-loading’ behaviour
• Life-stage, life events, and the development of patterns of drinking and drunkenness over time.

• Consumer segmentation and insight in relation to excessive drinking resulting in public drunkenness and harmful behaviour.
• Behavioural models (or other evidence) which shed light on the links between alcohol consumption and public drunkenness.
• Evidence regarding the harm caused by public drunkenness, who experiences it, and how that harm might be quantified.
• Relevant change models, both from the alcohol sector and also from other comparable sectors, particularly models which shed light on the role of communications, marketing and education as part of a wider mix of interventions required to bring about behaviour change.  
• Evidence of successful communication and other behaviour change strategies which have had an impact on drunkenness and harmful behaviour.

Submissions should be received by Friday 11th October. They can be made either by e-mail to researcher Simon Christmas at simon@simonchristmas.net or by post to the research company at Simon Christmas Ltd, 31-35 Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3HZ.

For further information, please contact Sarah Salisbury at Drinkaware at ssalisbury@drinkaware.co.uk

* Home Office (2012) The Government’s Alcohol Strategy

* *The review will be led by Simon Christmas, PhD, MPhil, MSc, MA, BA, MMRS, MBPsS, Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Public Policy Research, King's College London, www.simonchristmas.net