Neighbourhood matters: perceptions of neighbourhood cohesiveness and associations with alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: To examine relationships between perceived neighbourhood cohesion and alcohol, tobacco and cannabis consumption in New Zealand. DESIGN AND METHODS: A two-level random intercept regression model was used to examine the extent to which perception of neighbourhood cohesion (at the individual and area level) was associated with the frequency of substance (alcohol, tobacco and cannabis) consumption, after controlling for demographics and deprivation. This study is based on data from two national Health Behaviours Surveys (Drugs and Alcohol) conducted in 2003 and 2004 in New Zealand. Data were collected by computer-assisted telephone interviewing with two complementary computer-assisted cellphone interviewing samples. The combined sample consists of 6346 men and 8411 women (n = 14,757) distributed across 1572 census area units. RESULTS: Perception of neighbourhood cohesion was significantly associated with the level of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis consumption. Individuals who perceived their neighbourhood as more cohesive had higher annual frequency of alcohol consumption but lower consumption on a typical drinking occasion. Higher perceived neighbourhood cohesion was also associated with a decrease in the probability of tobacco and cannabis use and of the amounts consumed. Area-level analysis suggested that aggregate census area unit-level neighbourhood cohesion exerted a significant additional contextual effect on the frequency of tobacco and cannabis consumption over and above individual perceptions of neighbourhood cohesiveness. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study provides empirical evidence that perceptions of the neighbourhood social environment are associated with people's substance consumption patterns. Increasing residents' sense of neighbourhood cohesion might prove a promising way to decrease health-damaging consumption behaviours.

Increases in quantities consumed in drinking occasions in New Zealand 1995-2004.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Significant changes have occurred in the alcohol environment in New Zealand recently and there has been debate about how trends in alcohol consumption may currently look. This paper reports trends in drinking over three general population samples in New Zealand. DESIGN AND METHODS: Three nationally representative comparable surveys were analysed for trends in: prevalence of drinking, typical occasion quantity, annual frequency and heavier drinking (5+ drinks). Analyses assessed the mean difference of the measures at each year point. Adjustments for multiple comparisons were made. Analysis was undertaken for age and separately for gender. RESULTS: Increases in quantities consumed on a typical occasion occurred for the majority of age groups between 1995 and 2000. Women were as likely as men to increase the quantities they consumed. Observing differences between age groups found that young people tended to show the greatest increases in quantity (including heavier drinking) and frequency of consumption between 1995 and 2000. Drinking levels remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2004 with the exception of increases in abstention for some of the younger groups and increases in quantities consumed and heavier drinking among some of the older men. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Increases in quantities consumed per occasion have occurred almost across the board between 1995 and 2000 in New Zealand. Women were as likely as men to increase the quantities they consumed. Young people tended to show the greatest increases in quantity (including heavier drinking) and frequency of consumption between 1995 and 2000. Drinking remained relatively stable between 2000 and 2004.

Alcohol's harm to others: reduced wellbeing and health status for those with heavy drinkers in their lives.

AIMS: The impact of alcohol on those other than the drinker is an under-researched area with important policy implications. This study is a first step in investigating relationships between exposure to heavy drinkers in respondent's lives with measures of health status and wellbeing. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional general population survey was carried out among 3068 New Zealand residents aged 12-80 years (response rate 64%) using an in-house computer-assisted telephone interviewing system. MEASUREMENTS: Respondents' estimates of health status (European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions) and subjective wellbeing (Personal Wellbeing Index) were measured along with self-reports of heavy drinkers in their lives, demographic variables and own drinking. FINDINGS: More than one in four of the sample had experienced someone they considered to be a heavy drinker in their environment in the past 12 months. An index of exposure to heavy drinkers, reflecting numbers of heavy drinkers and cohabitation, predicted lower health status and personal wellbeing while controlling for demographic variables and respondent's own drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-sectional data from a general population sample suggest that there is a relationship between exposure to heavy drinkers and reduced personal wellbeing and poorer health status. Exposure to heavy drinkers may have negative impacts for others.

Socio-economic status predicts drinking patterns but not alcohol-related consequences independently.

AIM: To identify independent relationships between socio-economic status and drinking patterns and related consequences and to identify socio-economic groups at risk for heavier consumption. DESIGN AND SETTING: Three comparable national telephone surveys were utilized: 1995, 2000 and 2004. The respondents were aged 18-65 years. Contextual information includes that a number of liberalized alcohol policy changes occurred over the time of the surveys. RESULTS: Educational qualification, income and occupation were associated independently with alcohol consumption. There were indications that the different dimensions of drinking (quantity and frequency) had different relationships with socio-economic status (SES). For example, lower SES groups drank heavier quantities while higher SES groups drank more frequently. SES, however, did not play a major role predicting drinking consequences once drinking patterns were controlled for, although there were some exceptions. It was the lower-to-average SES groups that were at greater risk for drinking heavier quantities compared to other SES groups in the population (as they had sustained increases in the quantities they consumed over time where other SES groups did not). CONCLUSION: Socio-economic status was related independently to drinking patterns and there were indications that SES interacted differently with the different dimensions of drinking (quantity and frequency). For the most part, socio-economic status was not related independently to the experience of alcohol-related consequences once drinking patterns were accounted for. It was the lower-to-average SES groups that were at greater risk for drinking heavier quantities compared to other SES groups in the population.