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Alcohol use is an increasingly popular leisure activity among
adolescents and young people in the UK, according to a paper produced
by Alcohol Concern. The most commonly cited reason for its use
was "to get into a party mood", "to enjoy it" or to "celebrate".
The proportion of 11-15 year old that reported drinking at least
once a week rose from 13% to 21% in 1998 and the average weekly
alcohol intake doubled during the 1990’s. Although there have
been several large scale cross sectional surveys of adolescent
alcohol consumption in the UK, few studies have plotted the changes
in the young people’s drinking habits over time.The study was
carried out by the National Addiction Centre in collaboration
with the University of Sussex Department of education, with 4
primary aims:
(1) To construct a detailed profile of the alcohol consumption
patterns of a sample of young people in their last year of compulsory
schooling (15/16).
(2) Characterise the development of drinking behaviours over an
18-month period as the young people approached the legal age for
unsupervised drinking.
(3) Explore the relationship between external factors such as
peer group influence and support networks, and patterns of alcohol
consumption among young people.
(4) Examine their experience of alcohol related problems and other
associated harms.
A small cohort of 540 young people were recruited from 5 coeducational
secondary schools in Southern England and these were selected
based on their catchments area (urban or rural); educational achievements
and size. Half were female (49%) and the majority (96%) described
themselves as ‘white’. In order to gather data for the study both
interviewer-administrated and self-completion research questionnaires
were used. After 9 months another questionnaire was sent for self-completion
and a second self-completion questionnaire was mailed to all participants
18 months after recruitment. A very high follow up rate was achieved.
94% reported that they had drunk a whole alcohol drink at some
point in their lives. The average age for drinking a whole drink
was 12.4 years. The most common source of obtaining alcohol were
friends (63% and 70%) and parents (44% and 57% respectively).
By the second follow-up this had changed to self-purchase (81%)
and friends (76%).
The most common drinking location at home (50%, 75, 80% respectively)
and friends home (69%, 83%, 87% respectively).4 out of 5 of the
current drinkers said they had consumed alcohol without their
parent’s knowledge, this proportion reduced during the course
of the study to 1 in 3. 59% of the sample were drinking once a
week this had increased to 76% at the first follow-up and had
reached 80% by 18 months. Respondents drinking 6-7 days per week
increased from 0.4% to 2% by the second follow-up. Lager, beer
and spirits were the most common drinks throughout the study with
"alcopops" accounting for just 6% to 9%.The quantity of alcohol
the respondents consumed fell during the study. At baseline interview,
a third reported drinking at least 10 units of alcohol in a ‘typical
weekend drinking session’, this fell to 18% by the second follow-up.
However, the consumption of 5-6 units of alcohol in a single weekend
session became much more widespread. 8 out of 10 respondents who
had ever drunk a whole alcoholic drink said they had been drunk
at least once, increasing to 80% of the regular drinkers being
intoxicated recently at the follow up. Boys reported more negative
consequences than girls (feeling sick or unwell, drinking more
than intended and saying something they regretted).15% of the
students were non-drinkers.The reasons for not drinking were concerns
that alcohol was harmful to health, concern over unpleasant side
effects and that alcohol was too expensive.Academic reports will
focus on personal, peer and familial influences on drinking patterns,
problems and future trends.
Source: Alcohol Concern. Teenage Drinkers- A follow-up study of
alcohol use among 15-17 year olds in England. January 2003. |
