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Drinker Types, Harm, and Policy‐Related Variables: Results from the 2011 International Alcohol Control Study in New Zealand
Author(s) -
Wall Martin,
Casswell Sally
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13372
Subject(s) - harm , alcohol , control (management) , psychology , computer science , social psychology , biology , artificial intelligence , biochemistry
Background The aim was to identify a typology of drinkers in New Zealand based on alcohol consumption, beverage choice, and public versus private drinking locations and investigate the relationship between drinker types, harms experienced, and policy‐related variables. Methods Model‐based cluster analysis of male and female drinkers including volumes of alcohol consumed in the form of beer, wine, spirits, and ready‐to‐drinks ( RTD s) in off‐ and on‐premise settings. Cluster membership was then related to harm measures: alcohol dependence, self‐rated health; and to 3 policy‐relevant variables: liking for alcohol adverts, price paid for alcohol, and time of purchase. Results Males and females were analyzed separately. Men fell into 4 and women into 14 clearly discriminated clusters. The male clusters consumed a relatively high proportion of alcohol in the form of beer. Women had a number of small extreme clusters and some consumed mainly spirits‐based RTDs, while others drank mainly wine. Those in the higher consuming clusters were more likely to have signs of alcohol dependency, to report lower satisfaction with their health, to like alcohol ads, and to have purchased late at night. Conclusions Consumption patterns are sufficiently distinctive to identify typologies of male and female alcohol consumers. Women drinkers are more heterogeneous than men. The clusters relate differently to policy‐related variables.