TY - JOUR
T1 - Benchmarking alcohol policy based on stringency and impact
T2 - The International Alcohol Control (IAC) policy index
AU - Casswell, Sally
AU - Huckle, Taisia
AU - Parker, Karl
AU - Romeo, Jose
AU - Graydon-Guy, Thomas
AU - Leung, June
AU - Byron, Karimu
AU - Callinan, Sarah
AU - Chaiyasong, Surasak
AU - Gordon, Ross
AU - MacKintosh, Anne Marie
AU - Meier, Petra
AU - Paraje, Guillermo
AU - Parry, Charles D.
AU - Pham, Cuong
AU - Williams, Petal Petersen
AU - Randerson, Steve
AU - Schelleman-Offermans, Karen
AU - Sengee, Gantuya
AU - Torun, Perihan
AU - van Dalen, Wim
AU - Harker, Nadine
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright: © 2022 Casswell et al.
PY - 2022/4
Y1 - 2022/4
N2 - This study developed a measurement tool to assess stringency and ‘on-the-ground’ impact of four key alcohol policy domains to create an alcohol policy index suitable for benchmarking alcohol policy and assessing change over time in middle- and high-income countries. It involved a collaboration between researchers in 12 diverse countries: New Zealand; Australia; England; Scotland; Netherlands; Vietnam; Thailand; South Africa; Turkey; Chile; Saint Kitts and Nevis and Mongolia. Data on the four most effective alcohol policy domains (availability, pricing policy, alcohol marketing, drink driving) were used to create an alcohol policy index based on their association with alcohol per capita consumption (APC) of commercial (recorded) alcohol. An innovation was the inclusion of measures of impact along with the stringency of the legislation or regulation. The resulting International Alcohol Control (IAC) Policy Index showed a very high negative correlation (-0.91) with recorded APC. Greater affordability of alcohol, an impact measure taking into account prices paid and countries’ Gross Domestic Product, was predictive of higher APC (-0.80). Countries in which more modes of alcohol marketing are legally allowed and used had higher APC. Legislation on outlet density and drink driving predicted APC whereas trading hours did not. While stringency and impact measures varied between domains in terms of relationship with APC, overall, there was a strong correlation between impact and stringency (0.77). The IAC Policy Index, which includes measures of policy stringency and ‘on-the-ground’ impacts in relation to four key policy areas, was found to be strongly associated with commercial alcohol consumed in a number of diverse country settings. It showed a larger relationship than previous indices that include more policy dimensions. The index provides a relatively simple tool for benchmarking and communication with policy makers to encourage a strong focus on uptake of these four most effective alcohol policies.
AB - This study developed a measurement tool to assess stringency and ‘on-the-ground’ impact of four key alcohol policy domains to create an alcohol policy index suitable for benchmarking alcohol policy and assessing change over time in middle- and high-income countries. It involved a collaboration between researchers in 12 diverse countries: New Zealand; Australia; England; Scotland; Netherlands; Vietnam; Thailand; South Africa; Turkey; Chile; Saint Kitts and Nevis and Mongolia. Data on the four most effective alcohol policy domains (availability, pricing policy, alcohol marketing, drink driving) were used to create an alcohol policy index based on their association with alcohol per capita consumption (APC) of commercial (recorded) alcohol. An innovation was the inclusion of measures of impact along with the stringency of the legislation or regulation. The resulting International Alcohol Control (IAC) Policy Index showed a very high negative correlation (-0.91) with recorded APC. Greater affordability of alcohol, an impact measure taking into account prices paid and countries’ Gross Domestic Product, was predictive of higher APC (-0.80). Countries in which more modes of alcohol marketing are legally allowed and used had higher APC. Legislation on outlet density and drink driving predicted APC whereas trading hours did not. While stringency and impact measures varied between domains in terms of relationship with APC, overall, there was a strong correlation between impact and stringency (0.77). The IAC Policy Index, which includes measures of policy stringency and ‘on-the-ground’ impacts in relation to four key policy areas, was found to be strongly associated with commercial alcohol consumed in a number of diverse country settings. It showed a larger relationship than previous indices that include more policy dimensions. The index provides a relatively simple tool for benchmarking and communication with policy makers to encourage a strong focus on uptake of these four most effective alcohol policies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85195483864&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000109
DO - 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000109
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85195483864
SN - 2767-3375
VL - 2
JO - PLOS Global Public Health
JF - PLOS Global Public Health
IS - 4 April
M1 - e0000109
ER -
