Scandinavian journal of public health, Jan 7, 2015
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between several indicators of social capita... more The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between several indicators of social capital and risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) in a representative survey sample of the Danish general population. Data from the 2011 Danish national survey (n=2569) with respondents aged 15-79 years were used. Ordered logit modelling was applied to investigate the influence of social networks, social support, social participation and trust on RSOD. A strong positive relationship was found between frequency of contact with male friends and RSOD between both sexes. Furthermore, social trust among men and membership in voluntary organisations among women was significantly associated with RSOD. Additionally, contact with male family members for women and active participation in religious services for both sexes were strongly and negatively correlated with RSOD. Some aspects of social capital can be positively related to at-risk health behaviours, as was found for RSOD in the Danish general pop...
The first national survey on alcohol and drugs was conducted by the Centre for Alcohol and Drug R... more The first national survey on alcohol and drugs was conducted by the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research in 2011. Many questions are identical to those included in a 2003 national survey on alcohol use used in another study. The purpose of this paper is to present new data for alcohol use in Denmark, and to investigate changes between 2003 and 2011. Data for 2003 come from a CATI survey conducted by a private marketing firm. The final sample was 2030 respondents representing a cooperation rate of 50%. The 2011 data come from a survey conducted by Statistics Denmark in September/October. Administration modes were internet, then telephone. The final sample was 5133 respondents; response rate of 64%. Measures include current drinking status, heavy drinking, RSOD and quantity per drinking day, and items from the AUDIT. Control variables include age, marital status, employment, education, income. Preliminary results indicate that the percentage of current drinkers and heavy drinkers has ...
Little is known about alcohol's harms to others internationally as well as in the Danish gene... more Little is known about alcohol's harms to others internationally as well as in the Danish general population. This paper presents data on survey respondents' reports of being negatively affected by others' drinking. Analyses were based on the 2011 Danish national alcohol and drug survey (n=2569). Mixed mode administration was used (internet and telephone). Response rate was 64%. The sample consisted of 47% men and 53% women (unweighted). Respondents' ages were 15 to 79 years. Respondents were asked if they had known anyone with excessive alcohol use, whether this affected them negatively and if so, who the person was (household family member, relative, friend/neighbour, ex-partner, and supervisor/co-worker). Prevalences and chi-square statistics were used to present data. Logistic regression was employed to investigate correlates of alcohol harm. 43% of respondents reported that they knew someone with excessive alcohol consumption in the last 12 months. Of these 40% r...
AIMS: This paper examines changes in alcohol import in Denmark between 2003 and 2006, after the e... more AIMS: This paper examines changes in alcohol import in Denmark between 2003 and 2006, after the excise tax on spirits in Denmark was lowered by 45% on October 1, 2003 and travellers' allowances for alcohol import were increased on January1, 2004. Additionally, the paper seeks to develop a profile of alcohol importers and analyse the relation between the distance to the German border and import behaviour, as Germany is the main alcohol import country for Denmark. DATA: Cross-sectional and panel data from Denmark, from 2003 to 2006, were analyzed. Samples were collected by telephone interviews, using random digit dialing. RESULTS: While the percentage of people who imported alcohol fell over time, the amount of alcohol purchased rose for those who did import. Distance to the German border was inversely related to the likelihood of importing and the level of imported amounts. Heavy drinkers and those with higher incomes were more likely to import, and heavy drinkers imported higher...
Scandinavian journal of public health, Jan 7, 2015
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between several indicators of social capita... more The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between several indicators of social capital and risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) in a representative survey sample of the Danish general population. Data from the 2011 Danish national survey (n=2569) with respondents aged 15-79 years were used. Ordered logit modelling was applied to investigate the influence of social networks, social support, social participation and trust on RSOD. A strong positive relationship was found between frequency of contact with male friends and RSOD between both sexes. Furthermore, social trust among men and membership in voluntary organisations among women was significantly associated with RSOD. Additionally, contact with male family members for women and active participation in religious services for both sexes were strongly and negatively correlated with RSOD. Some aspects of social capital can be positively related to at-risk health behaviours, as was found for RSOD in the Danish general pop...
The first national survey on alcohol and drugs was conducted by the Centre for Alcohol and Drug R... more The first national survey on alcohol and drugs was conducted by the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research in 2011. Many questions are identical to those included in a 2003 national survey on alcohol use used in another study. The purpose of this paper is to present new data for alcohol use in Denmark, and to investigate changes between 2003 and 2011. Data for 2003 come from a CATI survey conducted by a private marketing firm. The final sample was 2030 respondents representing a cooperation rate of 50%. The 2011 data come from a survey conducted by Statistics Denmark in September/October. Administration modes were internet, then telephone. The final sample was 5133 respondents; response rate of 64%. Measures include current drinking status, heavy drinking, RSOD and quantity per drinking day, and items from the AUDIT. Control variables include age, marital status, employment, education, income. Preliminary results indicate that the percentage of current drinkers and heavy drinkers has ...
Little is known about alcohol's harms to others internationally as well as in the Danish gene... more Little is known about alcohol's harms to others internationally as well as in the Danish general population. This paper presents data on survey respondents' reports of being negatively affected by others' drinking. Analyses were based on the 2011 Danish national alcohol and drug survey (n=2569). Mixed mode administration was used (internet and telephone). Response rate was 64%. The sample consisted of 47% men and 53% women (unweighted). Respondents' ages were 15 to 79 years. Respondents were asked if they had known anyone with excessive alcohol use, whether this affected them negatively and if so, who the person was (household family member, relative, friend/neighbour, ex-partner, and supervisor/co-worker). Prevalences and chi-square statistics were used to present data. Logistic regression was employed to investigate correlates of alcohol harm. 43% of respondents reported that they knew someone with excessive alcohol consumption in the last 12 months. Of these 40% r...
AIMS: This paper examines changes in alcohol import in Denmark between 2003 and 2006, after the e... more AIMS: This paper examines changes in alcohol import in Denmark between 2003 and 2006, after the excise tax on spirits in Denmark was lowered by 45% on October 1, 2003 and travellers' allowances for alcohol import were increased on January1, 2004. Additionally, the paper seeks to develop a profile of alcohol importers and analyse the relation between the distance to the German border and import behaviour, as Germany is the main alcohol import country for Denmark. DATA: Cross-sectional and panel data from Denmark, from 2003 to 2006, were analyzed. Samples were collected by telephone interviews, using random digit dialing. RESULTS: While the percentage of people who imported alcohol fell over time, the amount of alcohol purchased rose for those who did import. Distance to the German border was inversely related to the likelihood of importing and the level of imported amounts. Heavy drinkers and those with higher incomes were more likely to import, and heavy drinkers imported higher...
Aims: The study tests the effects of reduction in alcohol taxation and increased travellers’ allo... more Aims: The study tests the effects of reduction in alcohol taxation and increased travellers’ allowances on alcohol consumption and related harm in Denmark, Finland and southern Sweden. In late 2003 and early 2004, taxes on alcoholic beverages were reduced in Denmark and Finland, and the abolition of quantitative quotas on alcohol import for personal use from other European Union countries made cheaper alcohol more available in Denmark, Finland and Sweden.
Methods: Analyses of routine statistical register data, and summarizing results from longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional population surveys and other previous analyses, with northern Sweden as a control site for secular trends.
Results: Contrary to expectations, alcohol consumption – as based on register data – increased only in Finland and not in Denmark and southern Sweden, and self-reported survey data did not show an increase in any site. In Finland, alcohol-attributable harms in register data increased, especially in people with low socio-economic status. Few such effects were found in Denmark and southern Sweden. Neither did results for self-reported alcohol-attributable problems show any general increases in the three sites. These results remained after controlling for regression to the mean and modelling of drop-outs.
Conclusions: Harms measured in register data did tend to increase in the short term with the policy change, particularly in Finland, where the tax changes were broader. But reducing price and increasing availability does not always increase alcohol consumption and harm. Effects are dampened in affluent societies, and other factors may intervene. The results for Finland also suggest some limits for general population surveys in testing for relatively small policy effects.
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Methods: Analyses of routine statistical register data, and summarizing results from longitudinal and repeated cross-sectional population surveys and other previous analyses, with northern Sweden as a control site for secular trends.
Results: Contrary to expectations, alcohol consumption – as based on register data – increased only in Finland and not in Denmark and southern Sweden, and self-reported survey data did not show an increase in any site. In Finland, alcohol-attributable harms in register data increased, especially in people with low socio-economic status. Few such effects were found in Denmark and southern Sweden. Neither did results for self-reported alcohol-attributable problems show any general increases in the three sites. These results remained after controlling for regression to the mean and modelling of drop-outs.
Conclusions: Harms measured in register data did tend to increase in the short term with the policy change, particularly in Finland, where the tax changes were broader. But reducing price and increasing availability does not always increase alcohol consumption and harm. Effects are dampened in affluent societies, and other factors may intervene. The results for Finland also suggest some limits for general population surveys in testing for relatively small policy effects.