Alcohol Policy UK

Declines in drinking amongst young people: what does the evidence say?

In this guest post Rakhi Vashishtha, a research officer at Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, Melbourne, Australia, explores the current evidence behind falls in youth drinking following publication of a recent systematic review.

For decades, alcohol consumption among young people has remained a huge concern for community, public health practitioners and policy advocates. Adolescent alcohol consumption is a well-established risk factor for range of negative health and social outcomes.

Drinking amongst young people: NHS Digital 2018 school pupils survey

The latest figures on drinking amongst pupils aged up to 15 have been released in Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England - 2018.

The survey report presents information on the percentage of pupils who have ever smoked, tried alcohol or taken drugs and explores the attitudes of school children towards smoking and drinking, last released in 2017.

In 2018, 44% of pupils said they had ever had an alcoholic drink, the same as in 2016, and ranging from 14% of 11 year olds to 70% of 15 year olds. In 2018, 10% of pupils said they had drunk in the last week, also the same as in 2016.

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.

Alcohol's harm to others: PHE evidence review

Public Health England (PHE) have released an evidence review of the harm caused by alcohol to the people around those who are drinking in the UK.

The review examines alcohol’s harm to others (AHTO) based on six surveys across the  UK and Republic of Ireland, including a recent study published in the BMJ which attracted widespread media coverage. The findings indicate one in five people have been harmed by others drinking over the past year, though did not cover all AHTO, for example Foetal Alcohol Syndrome was not included.

Drinking in pregnancy: lasting effects of low-level alcohol use?

In this guest post, Kayleigh Easey (@KayEasey), a PhD student and member of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group (@BristolTARG) at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol, takes a look at a recent systematic review investigating effects of parental alcohol use and offspring mental health.

It’s generally well known that drinking large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy is linked to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), and negative outcomes such as premature birth and an increase in the risk of miscarriage. However, less is known about the effects of low to moderate alcohol use during pregnancy on offspring outcomes after birth, and even less for mental health outcomes in the child, particularly internalising disorders such as depression. Despite government guidelines being updated by the Department of Health in January 2016, advising pregnant women that the safest approach is to abstain from drinking alcohol altogether through their pregnancy, there remains uncertainty amongst the public as to whether a ‘drink or two’ is harmful or not.

NICE consultation on school based alcohol interventions

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has launched a consultation on alcohol interventions in secondary and further education.

The consultation seeks to update NICE guideline PH7 Alcohol: school based interventions published in 2007 which aimed to prevent and reduce alcohol use among children and young people by preventing alcohol use, delaying drinking onset and reducing the harm to those who do drink.

First guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

New guidelines to help healthcare professionals in diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have been published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).

It is estimated that approximately 3.2% of babies born in the UK are affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), though the guidance says currently few children are identified or receive support. As such, many children have neurodevelopmental disorders where Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) has not been considered as a possible cause. However early diagnosis and intervention from birth and in the first years of life can make significant differences to the developmental progress of affected children, thus the guidance seeks to improve understanding, identification and care for those affected.

Findings bulletins: education evidence, Scottish drug & alcohol strategy, treatment & recovery lessons

Recent bulletins from the Findings drug and alcohol bank: 

Alcohol harm reduction education gains credibility in UK

Trialled in schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland, an alcohol harm reduction curriculum for secondary schools plus a parental component led to fewer pupils drinking heavily at a single sitting. Bolstered by this study, school programmes aiming to reduce harm rather than prevent drinking per se now have a limited but relatively good research record in the UK.

A new strategy for Scotland: ‘rights, respect and recovery’

Already credited with being the most closely aligned of UK nations with evidence-based recommendations, Scotland’s new strategy on alcohol and other drugs isn’t afraid to stray into value-driven territory. Eschewing messages about ‘personal responsibility’ in favour of respect and dignity, the Scottish Government frames substance use as an urgent human rights and public health issue.

Nine areas awarded children & families innovation fund; new safeguarding guidance & capital fund bid

Earlier this month Public Health England (PHE) announced nine projects that have been awarded funding as part of the innovation fund to support local authorities seeking to address the needs of children of dependent drinkers.

New guidance for local authorities on safeguarding children with alcohol and drug dependent parents has also been released, as well as a new round of capital funding to improve access to alcohol treatment in the community.

CMO guidance for children and young people: an overlooked issue?

Issues around children and young people's drinking (CYP) are never far from the headlines, and certainly well-publicised declines in CYP's drinking have continued to attract media attention. However efforts to further protect CYP from alcohol harms appear to remain a policy priority despite challenges over evidence gaps and communication challenges.

This week Scotland's new national alcohol strategy was released, promising to 'put the voices of children and young people at the heart of developing preventative measures', whilst in the North East of England a new campaign was launched by Balance warning parents about the risks to their children from alcohol. The 'What's the harm' campaign, launched during Alcohol Awareness Week 2018, encourages parents to delay when children first start to drink, citing evidence on the harmful effects on early-onset drinking and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidance released in 2009 advising an alcohol-free childhood as best.