The importance of amount and location of drinking for the experience of alcohol‐related problems

Abstract

People's self report of a variety of alcohol-related problems was collected as part of a national survey carried out in New Zealand in 1988. These problems included self perception of adverse effects of drinking on a number of life areas such as health, friendships and financial position; items covering tangible consequences of alcohol use and items suggestive of alcohol dependence. The experience of these problems was predicted from a number of socio-demographic variables and respondent's reports of their typical drinking behaviour. Of the socio-demographic variables only age was found to relate strongly to experience of problems. The overall frequency of drinking relatively large amounts and the typical quantity drunk in certain licensed premises (hotels, taverns and clubs) and the typical quantity drunk in others' homes predicted the experience of problems. These findings are similar to research from other countries using different methodologies and support the likely effectiveness of prevention strategies which reduce the access of young people to alcohol and which aim to influence the amounts consumed in drinking sessions on licensed premises.