Alcohol Policy UK

Digital interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm: rapid evidence review

Alcohol Change UK have published a new rapid evidence review on digital interventions. The review is the first of six recently commissioned reports on a selection of alcohol-related topics.

Key findings include:

• Most digital interventions have been evaluated with randomized controlled trials, and there is a need to use alternative research methods to evaluate them.
• Populations that are most at risk of alcohol-related harm have been understudied.
• Digital interventions are increasingly delivered via the internet and smartphone apps, sometimes in combination with biosensors.
• Alcohol reduction apps available in the app stores are increasingly using interactive features.

Newly defined at-risk drinkers following the change to the UK low risk drinking guidelines: who and what to do?

In this guest blog, Philippa Case, a researcher at University College London, explores findings from a new study on ‘newly defined at-risk drinkers’ following a change to the UK’s low risk drinking guidelines.

Alcohol guidelines have existed in the UK since 1984 in various forms.  These guidelines exist to help people make informed choices about drinking alcohol by highlighting potential alcohol-related health risks. Guidelines also help health care practitioners assess and advise patients around their alcohol consumption as alcohol brief interventions have become a popular component of alcohol strategies in the UK and beyond.

One in five hospital patients harmful drinkers, new study finds

A new study highlighting the extent of alcohol problems amongst hospital patients has attracted media attention, indicating 1 in 5 are harmful drinkers and 1 in 10 are alcohol dependent.

The research used data from 124 studies covering 1.7 million patients in UK hospitals, indicating the level of harmful drinking amongst hospital patients is ten times higher than the general population, and eight times higher for alcohol dependence.

Policy for the people? Alcohol Change UK 2019 conference

In this post, James Morris, Editor of Alcohol Policy UK, reflects on the recent 2019 Alcohol Change UK conference.

19 June 2019 was a significant day for the UK alcohol field. Not only did it mark Alcohol Change UK’s first national conference, at which keynote speaker Jonathan Ashworth MP announced the Labour Party’s commitment to make alcohol labelling mandatory, but also the release of early data indicating ‘encouraging signs’ of a decline in alcohol consumption following Scotland’s landmark minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy.

In many ways the timing couldn’t have been more fitting. While strong arguments for the role of key population level measures such as minimum pricing, availability and marketing have been repeatedly made, policy-makers for England have shied away from evidence-led approaches. Instead, alcohol policy has favoured cleverly framed but flawed arguments for alternative approaches of self-regulation and ‘local partnerships’, and ideas of ‘personal responsibility’.

IAS Alert June 2019: cost of hangovers, labelling, consumption, MUP & more

The latest Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) Alcohol Alert: June 2019 is now available (here for PDF version). Read the editorial here and articles below:

• COVER STORY – Hangovers cost the UK up to £1.4bn a year
• Scottish alcohol sales fall to 25-year low
• Northern Ireland: Middle-aged alcohol misuse costly for health services
• London hospital ACTs to reduce alcohol-related A&E admissions

Hangovers cost society £1.4 billion says IAS

A new report from the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) says the cost of hangovers is up to £1.4 billion a year, with as many as 89,000 people may be turning up to work hungover or under the influence of alcohol every day.

Download 'The cost of workplace hangovers and intoxication to the UK economy' [pdf]

Key findings from a survey of 3,400 British workers that found:

Findings bulletins: harm reduction for homeless drinkers, parenting interventions, therapy insights

Recent bulletins from the Findings drug and alcohol bank: 

Low-barrier intervention for homeless people with (mostly severe) drinking problems

Heavy drinking is clearly problematic for homeless populations, but is the best way to tackle it to aim for abstinence, or to accept the reality of life on the streets and aim to reduce harm and improve lives in ways which make sense to the patient? This US study provides part of the answer.

Cancer media campaigns: an effective policy lever?

A new study has found a media campaign designed to raise awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer was associated with an increase in support for alcohol-related control policies.

Whilst based on findings from a Danish campaign, the study has attracted the attention of UK groups where policy debates have frequently revolved around the issue of alcohol's links to cancer and its communication.

Awareness of the link has been described as 'worryingly low', whilst a 2016 report warned alcohol-related cancers could cause 135,000 deaths over the next 20 years in England. Results from the 2018 Global Drugs Survey indicated almost half the British sample said cancer messages could get them thinking about drinking less, whilst health groups have continued to call for stronger alcohol policies and mandatory labelling including cancer warnings.

Britain top for 'binge drinking' says Global Drugs Survey 2019

The release of the latest Global Drug Survey has prompted various media stories reporting the UK as topping the table for drunkenness, with UK GDS respondents reporting getting drunk 51 times in the last year versus an average of 33 times for all countries in the survey.

The findings may provoke further debate about the UK's drinking culture - or its various aspects - despite significant falls in drinking and drunkenness amongst younger people. However, despite a 10% fall in overall consumption over the last three decades as recently reported in the Lancet, middle and older adult's drinking has yet to see falls, with warnings over cuts to services and absence of key policy measures repeatedly made by many health groups.

Alcohol harm to others: 1 in 5 experience harm in the last year

A recent BMJ study exploring the level of harm people experience from other people's drinking has attracted widespread media coverage.

The findings, based on data from the Alcohol Toolkit Study, indicate one in five people in England have been harmed by others drinking over the past year. Whilst being kept awake at night (8%) or feeling anxious/uncomfortable at a social occasion (nearly 7%) were the most common harms, these problems could still contribute to health issues, whilst nearly one in 20 people reported experiencing threats or acts aggression.