The Relationships between per capita Consumption, Drinking Patterns and Alcohol Related Problems in a Population Sample, 1965–1974. Part II: Implications for alcohol control Policy

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Abstract
Summary: As per capita consumption increased nationally between 1965 and 1974, so did various indices of alcohol related problems. However, theories claiming the inevitability of this connection particularly that of Ledermann, have recently been questioned. Therefore the survey data on increased consumption, together with a problem index of five alcohol related problems measued in both general populatin samples, was used to examine in greater detail the relationships which held between drinking patterns end alcohol related problems as mean consumption intruded.The sample studies verified the hypothesis that an increase in mean consumption implied a redistribution of the drinking population into successively higher consumption category's. Increase scores on the problem index also mirrored this redistribution of consumption. An analysis of variance showed that the increased prevalence of problems in 1974 was due to that sample hating drunk more alcohol, and the relationship between consumption and problems held within demographic sub‐groups.However, different age, sex and occupational status groups reported different numbers of problems for similar levels of total consumption. Higher problem scores were reported by those with higher average drinking day consumption. Even so, when both total consumption and frequency were controlled, there was still some difference in the level of problems reported, which it was assumed might be partly related to individual vulnerability factors. Upper occupational status groups seemed the most protected against experiencing alcohol problems. The findings from the longitudinal survey study suggests that such studies should be further employed to shed more light on these issues, especially as the findings seem to bear out other theories which suggest that the Ledermann model has appeared to work in practice not because of its mathematical logic, but because of the stability of underlying drinking patterns which means that in most cases, a rise, a rise in consumption is likely to be associated with a rise in problems.