Alcohol-Related Collateral Harm, the unseen dimension? Study of students aged 16-24 in Southern England

Aim: To ascertain and characterise young adults’ experience of alcohol-related collateral harm (ARC harm) by collecting and interpreting empirical evidence and reflecting on its aetiology. Methods: An on-line survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from college and university students aged 16-24 in Southern England (N=450). Semi-structured interviews collected predominantly qualitative data from a purposive sample of the survey participants (N=25). Questions, and analyses of the evidence collected, focused on harms participants had experienced as a result of alcohol consumption by other people in their family and social circle. Findings: 64% of survey participants experienced ARC harm, including 50% of non-drinkers. In logistic regression analysis, no significant associations were found with high or low selfreported levels of alcohol consumption. ARC harms were associated with being female (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.01-2.62), having family members who drank every day (OR=2.65, 95% CI 1.49-4.69), being influenced by others’ drinking (OR=2.03, 95% CI 1.32-3.10) and being over eighteen (OR=2.61 95% CI 1.57-4.34). Using qualitative descriptors, the ARC harms reported were classified in a novel taxonomy of eight categories, briefly: nuisance; tolerance; pressure into unwanted situations; unsought responsibility; psychological harm; physical harm; relationship harm and undisclosed harm. In thematic analysis of the interview data, environmental themes described certain physical settings and psychological contexts as key risk factors for ARC harm, notably: nightclubs, being in the vicinity of a drunk driver, the life stage of individuation, the university milieu and young adults’ perceptions of alcohol. Ten superordinate themes were developed to explain how and why ARC harms remain unseen. Conclusions: A high level of ARC harm was reported and experience of ARC harm was linked to several predictors. Risk factors included immutable individual characteristics, e.g. age and gender, and ecological factors arising from exposure to normative environments that permitted, encouraged, legitimated or reinforced irresponsible behaviours by drinkers.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Enser, Briony J

Contributors dc:contributor

• Foxcroft, David
• Appleton, Jane

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/xe9y-2789

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:1ca49357-cab1-4848-bfa8-88cc69fae6c3:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1