Close Proximity To Alcohol Outlets Puts Adolescents At Greater Risk

Main Category: Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
Article Date: 05 Dec 2008 - 8:00 PDT

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Researchers found that alcohol outlets are concentrated in disadvantaged neighborhoods and can contribute to adolescent drinking.

Using data from the California Health Interview Survey, this study investigated the socio-demographic disparities in alcohol environments and their relationship to adolescent drinking. Researchers found that alcohol outlets within walking distance from homes were associated with two adverse alcohol behaviors among adolescents: increased binge drinking and driving after drinking. Furthermore, alcohol availability, measured by mean and median number of alcohol licenses, was significantly higher around residences of minority and lower-income families.

"Our findings suggest that the proximity rule needs to be tightened and more stringently enforced and that environmental interventions are needed to curtail young people's access to commercial sources of alcohol, through tightening licensure or enforcing minimum-age drinking laws," concluded the study's authors.

Title of original article
"Alcohol Environments: Disparities in Exposure and Adolescent Drinking in California"

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly Journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health. More information is available at http://www.apha.org.

American Journal of Public Health

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