New frontiers in alcohol and gender: The role of health promotion policy and practice in Australia

Abstract

Scholarship indicates that gender norms influence drinking behaviours, yet the consequences of this for health professionals and health promotion remains neglected. To address this gap, we discuss the implications of gender and alcohol consumption for Australian health promotion and practice. We convey how a more integrated public health approach, aimed at promoting healthy gender expectations and enhancing gender relations, is warranted. We also discuss how changing gender norms pose new challenges for health professionals. By confronting these contentious issues, this commentary helps the health sector consider innovative measures to combat alcohol‐related harms.

The alcohol industry—A commercial determinant of poor health for Rainbow communities

“…Given a recent observation of ‘gender blindness’ in alcohol policy responses, 40 we suggest the concerns of Rainbow people as another area of blindness in alcohol policy. Rainbow communities have a role to play in efforts to ‘push‐back’ against the alcohol industry as even within stronger alcohol policy environments, reduced harm for these groups is not guaranteed 23 .…”

“…38 Because the alcohol industry uses sophisticated strategies to protect, maintain and enhance its commercial interests, health promotion needs to respond in kind and to refine and modernise their own set of strategies, to create a public health playbook.' 39 Given a recent observation of 'gender blindness' in alcohol policy responses, 40 we suggest the concerns of Rainbow people as another area of blindness in alcohol policy. Rainbow communities have a role to play in efforts to 'push-back' against the alcohol industry as even within stronger alcohol policy environments, reduced harm for these groups is not guaranteed.…”

Evaluation outcomes of an alcohol and pregnancy campaign targeting multiple audiences

“…Increasing awareness about the risks of drinking during pregnancy has been identified as an important first step in this process [ 9 ] and a key element is the provision of unambiguous information about the risks associated with alcohol use during pregnancy [ 10 ]. It has been argued that the public has a right to know about these risks [ 11 , 12 ] and recommended population‐level educational interventions include warning labels on alcohol products [ 11 , 13 , 14 ] and public education campaigns [ 6 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”