Connections Between Demographic and Environmental Factors
A study by Coomber et al. scrutinized demographic and environmental influences connected with alcohol intoxication within licensed, late-night, entertainment locations among five cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Wollongong, Geelong and Perth) across Australia. The observed settings were typically standard pubs, bars, or nightclubs. This was conducted by using cross-sectional observational methods, which limits the potential for recall bias (a systematic error in research) and allows first-hand observations of behaviours to occur. The following factors were observed to explore the connection with an individual’s intoxication; hours of observation, expected percentage of male customers, venue crowding, signs of observable alcohol promotions, most consumed classification of beverage and venue type. Authors outlined alcohol consumption as an enhancer for behaviours displaying aggression and violence, while reducing an individual’s mental and verbal capacity to resolve conflict, therefore increasing the probability of involvement in verbal or physical harm.
Coomber evaluated the social and physical environment of venues and how it has contributed to harmful incidents. Factors correlated with alcohol and alcohol-related harm included a permissive environment with cheap alcohol, poor cleanliness, crowding, loud music, a focus on dancing and poor practice of staff. Through covert observations (researcher is observing by blending in) it was noted that non-participating venues had worse customer behaviours and level of harms compared to participating venues. Most observations were led in the mentioned cities prior, every two weeks on Friday and Saturday nights. Each team of observers consisted of 2-4 persons in male/female pairs to maximize safety and to ensure both bathroom areas were observable posing as “normal” customers. Researchers completed hourly observation checklists throughout all areas of a venue. Bars were considered the largest quantity of observations, then nightclubs, and then pubs.
Observations resulted that approximately half of the population showed symptoms of alcohol intoxication with the majority of persons being male and under 25 years. High levels of male intoxication are strong interpreters of violence and harm. During high-risk drinking “episodes” it was reported that 40% of young individuals consumed more than 20 standard drinks and 47% of alcohol-related deaths occur. Coomber suggested risk-based licensing and customer screening measures for venues with younger adults to minimise harm. Types of venue were also found to alcohol intoxication. Nightclubs revealed to have a lower measurement regarding symptoms of intoxication compared to pubs. The evidence-based explanation for this was the post-hoc analysis indicating that there were a higher percentage of younger adults in nightclubs, compared to both pubs and bars. Young adults are most likely to consume larger amounts of alcohol than drinkers of any other age group, determining the possibility that profile of patrons differs between venue types. Regarding observable alcoholic beverage promotions, there was none. In analysing patron alcohol use, beer was recorded as the most common type of alcoholic drink and there were no observable alcoholic beverage promotions.
A Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was conducted to create the venue-crowding variable which assisted in finding data. A multivariable multi-level linear regression model was also used in this paper to predict symptoms of intoxication. Each hour into the observation, the population of patrons displaying signs of intoxication increased by 11% and was approximately 10% lower within nightclubs than pubs. Using the same model revealed that gradually through out the night there were over nine times the odds of high levels of intoxication. This was increased by 5% if the majority of patrons were males and under the age of 25. With each unit increasing in venue crowding, levels of intoxication augmented by 39%.
This was the first Australian study using observational data to inspect the affiliation amongst the elements of risk and alcohol intoxication in late-night entertainment venues. Limitations within the study were that venues were only observed for less than 5 hours, estimations of patron and venue characteristics were used instead of an actual count and there could have been other variables provided to explain the connection with intoxication.
With demographic and environmental influences related with alcohol intoxication within licensed, late-night, entertainment venues being discussed. Coomber’s study concluded that the time of night and the population of young adults were the strongest predictors of both symptoms and high levels of intoxication. Findings from this study provided argumentations for a stronger policy and harm reduction efforts from authorities. It also supported interventions with an evidence base, such as controlled trading hours. In regards to the correlation between aggression and intoxication, it was found that increased venue crowding predicted increases in both, the proportion of customers showing symptoms and elevated levels of intoxication. The authors suggested that reducing venue capacity and increasing numbers of authorities might decrease levels of intoxication and alcohol-related harms.
