Session: Environmental Perspectives on Alcohol Use and Related Problems: From the Macro to the Micro (Society for Prevention Research 24th Annual Meeting)

2-059 Environmental Perspectives on Alcohol Use and Related Problems: From the Macro to the Micro

Schedule:
Wednesday, June 1, 2016: 4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Seacliff B (Hyatt Regency San Francisco)
Theme: Enhancing Physical, Social and Economic Environments to Improve Health Equity
Chair:
Christopher N Morrison
The aim of this symposium is to examine physical, social and economic determinants of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, and to identify areas for prevention. We present a gradient of environmental perspectives, from macro-level drivers of exposure to alcohol outlets, through to micro-level exposures in specific environmental contexts.

The first paper outlines the theoretical case for taking a broad multi-level perspective to the problem of alcohol consumption and related harms. A social ecological approach, which holds that an individual’s behavior both influences and is influenced by the physical, social and economic environments with which the individual interacts, emphasizes the need to simultaneously consider macro- and micro-level exposures.

The following papers showcase new empirical evidence to support this theoretical perspective. We begin at the macro level. The second paper describes a mathematical simulation that tests whether the economic geographic conditions common to all retail markets produce greater incidence of alcohol-related problems in lower income areas. Results suggest that without effective interventions, lower income populations will inevitably experience greater risks.

The third paper presents early data from an innovative study using GPS enabled smart phones to track the activity spaces of young people. This study indicates that other physical environments, beyond residential areas, to which adolescents are routinely exposed may contribute to greater risks for alcohol use and problems.

The next paper moves further towards the micro, examining the physical and social environmental correlates of alcohol consumption among adolescents. This study advances prevention science by identifying the circumstances in which drinking occurs and proposes possible context-specific interventions.

The fifth paper takes an even greater micro-level approach, examining the social environments of drinking groups for specific drinking events. Consistent with our theoretical perspective, results suggest that individuals within a group influence the drinking behavior and related risks for the whole group, and vice versa.

Finally, the sixth paper combines observations of physical, social and economic environments within a specific micro-environment: bars. This study suggests that barrooms must be understood within the macro-level environment, and that both macro- and micro-level policies are important for reducing the occurrence of problems within and around bars.

The audience for this symposium will be provided with a framework for understanding the physical, social, and economic determinants of alcohol use and problems, and gain an appreciation for synergistic macro- and micro-level prevention strategies to improve health equity.


* noted as presenting author
197
Alcohol Climates and Drinking Opportunities: Accelerating Risks for at-Risk Groups
Paul J Gruenewald, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
198
Economic Geographic Determinants of Alcohol-Related Problems Among Lower Income Populations
Christopher N Morrison, MPH, University of Pennsylvania; Paul J Gruenewald, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
199
Comparison of Teens' Perceptions Vs. Archival Indicators of Contextual Exposures Related to Alcohol Use and Delinquency
Hilary F. Byrnes, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation; Brenda A. Miller, PhD, PIRE; Douglas J Wiebe, PhD, University of Pennsylvania; Christopher N Morrison, MPH, University of Pennsylvania; Marcie Woychik, n/a, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation; Sarah Wiehe, PhD, Indiana University
200
Adolescent Selection of Drinking Contexts: Associations with Parental Monitoring, Drinking Patterns, and Individual Characteristics
Sharon Lipperman-Kreda, Ph.D., Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation; Paul J Gruenewald, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation; Melina Bersamin, PhD, Prevention Research Center; Christina Mair, PhD, University of Pittsburgh; Joel William Grube, PhD, PIRE/PRC
201
Gender Composition of Drinking Groups Impacts Young Adults' Alcohol Use on Weekend Evenings
Johannes Thrul, PhD, University of California, San Francisco; Florian Labhart, MA, Addiction Switzerland; Emmanuel Kuntsche, PhD, Sucht Schweiz Research Institute & Radboud University Nijmegen
202
Community Alcohol Problems Related to Bars: Combining Micro- and Meso-Level Data Supports Macro-Level Policies
Juliet P. Lee, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation; Christopher N Morrison, MPH, University of Pennsylvania; Christina Mair, PhD, University of Pittsburgh; Paul J Gruenewald, PhD, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation