Support for alcohol policies from drinkers in the City of Tshwane, South Africa: Data from the International Alcohol Control study

Abstract

Introduction and Aims. South Africa is considering a range of alcohol policy reforms. This study aims to determine the magnitude of public support for 13 alcohol policies in the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and whether this varies by demographic factors and heavy drinking status. Design and Methods. Data are from the South African arm of the International Alcohol Control study, a household survey of adult drinkers using a multistage stratified cluster random sampling design. The sample included 1920 drinkers aged 18–65 years (62% men), with complete drinking data for 16 drinking locations on 955 persons (510 heavy and 445 not heavy drinkers). Results. Over half (53%) of the sample were found to be heavy drinkers. Support varied by alcohol policy, ranging from 31% to 77%, with support above 50% for 11 of the 13 policies. Policy support was higher for policies increasing the purchase age to 21 years (77%), addressing drink driving (58–76%) and restricting physical availability (60–66%). There was slightly less support for policies restricting alcohol marketing (59%) or for policies increasing the price of alcohol (34–58%), especially if no justification was given or the funds were not earmarked. Policy support differed by age, gender, heavy drinking status and income. Discussion and Conclusions. Public support from adult drinkers for a range of alcohol policies is extensive and, as found elsewhere, was strongest for raising the minimum drinking age and lowest for increasing prices. The support from drinkers to increasing controls on alcohol could be one lever to getting control measures implemented. [Parry CDH, Trangenstein P, Lombard C, Jernigan DH, Morojele NK. Support for alcohol policies from drinkers in the City of Tshwane, South Africa: Data from the International Alcohol Control study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;00:000‐000]

Support for alcohol policies among drinkers in Mongolia, New Zealand, Peru, South Africa, St Kitts and Nevis, Thailand and Vietnam: Data from the International Alcohol Control Study

“…Policy support in South Africa, a high–middle‐income country, was not always greater than in New Zealand. This could be because other research has shown that there are very high levels of heavy drinking in South Africa and it is well recognised that heavier drinkers are less likely to support more restrictive alcohol policies .…”

Heavy drinking and contextual risk factors among adults in South Africa: findings from the International Alcohol Control study

“…There were four stages to the cluster random sampling involving sampling of wards (Stage 1), enumeration areas (EAs) within selected wards (Stage 2), households within selected EAs (Stage 3), and study participants within selected households (Stage 4). This is described in detail elsewhere [ 25 ]. Data were weighted to take into account the underlying structure of the realized sample and the sample frame to ensure a random selection of respondents.…”

“…The target sample size of 2000 was determined by the IAC Study [ 23 ]. The overall response rate was 78% [ 25 ].…”

Beer drinking, resistance and the politics of alcohol tax levy in Botswana

“…Existing studies have concluded that alcohol reforms and policies are likely to be resisted by individuals who are directly impacted by alcohol control measures (Parry, Trangestein, Lombard, Jernigan, & Morojele, 2017;Tobin, Moodie, & Livingstone, 2011). In the context of the Nordic countries, Sulkunen and Warsell (2012) have argued that tax increases and reducing availability of alcohol are likely to be unpopular because they "interfere with the freedom of consumers to choose" (p. 218).…”