Do Australian adolescents with permission to drink at home engage in different alcohol use behaviours and experience more harms than those without such permission?

Abstract

Introduction Around half of Australian students aged 16–17 are estimated to have drunk alcohol in the past month, with 11% drinking at ‘risky’ levels. This study investigated: (i) how many Australian adolescents aged 16–17 had parental permission to drink at home in 2016/17 and whether prevalence differed by adolescent sex; (ii) whether adolescents allowed to drink at home had drunk more recently and were drinking greater quantities; (iii) if adolescents allowed to drink at home experienced more alcohol‐related harms; and (iv) if parental drinking patterns were associated with permitting adolescents to drink at home. Methods Data from Wave 7 of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were used. Descriptive and bivariate analyses addressed Aims i–iii. Nested multivariable logistic regression models addressed aim iv. Results In 2016/17, 28% of Australian adolescents aged 16–17 were allowed to drink alcohol at home. More adolescents with permission had drunk alcohol in the past month (77% vs. 63% of those without permission). There was no difference in quantity of alcohol consumed in the past week between groups. More adolescents allowed to drink at home had experienced alcohol‐related harm compared to those without permission (23% vs. 17%). In multivariable analyses, alcohol consumption by primary parents was associated with an increased likelihood of allowing adolescents to drink at home. Discussions and Conclusions In order to reduce adolescent alcohol use and associated harms, parents should avoid permitting alcohol use among adolescents at home. Frequent (twice or more/week) primary parental alcohol consumption was especially associated with greater odds of allowing adolescents to drink at home.

Drinking at home: Restricting alcohol availability is a key mechanism to reduce harms

“…Finally, while home drinking is much more common in older people, this consumption may be influencing younger people in the home. Quinn et al [12] found that young people with permission to drink at home experienced more alcohol-related harms than those who did not have said permission. The authors contextualise this finding by referring to previous research indicating a belief among parents that supervised consumption at home could reduce future harms from alcohol for their children.…”