Linking injury prevention and alcohol policy: seeking a common agenda.

The links between alcohol policy and injury prevention

Alcohol availability has been shown to be an important contributor to rates of drinking-related problems. Policies that dramatically increase access to alcoholic beverages are likely to result in higher rates of chronic as well as acute problems related to drinking, including liver cirrhosis, cancer, injuries, suicide, homicide and assault. Conversely, where access to alcohol is curtailed--for example, through higher taxes or prices, higher legal drinking age, lower number or density of outlets where alcohol is available--one might expect to find lower rates of damage related to drinking (e.g., Bruun et al., 1975; Edwards et al., 1994; Holder & Edwards, 1995).

These macrolevel policies are complemented by policies that influence the microlevel of the drinking context. One example is found among the increasing number of drinking establishments and community groups that are encouraging more responsible service and consumption practices in the hope of reducing drunkenness-related incidents, preventing tragedy, and reducing the risk of legal action. Macropolicies at the level of the state, province, city or town, as well as formal or informal policies in the drinking venue--be it a restaurant, bar, community facility or private home--have a clear potential for effective injury prevention.

As this collection shows, alcohol is implicated in many injuries, particularly among youths and young adults. Effective targeted and broad-based policies can reduce the frequency of high-risk drinking events, curtail the number of persons who drink to intoxication, or separate heavy drinking from risk-taking behavior. Such policies can reduce the incidence of alcohol-related harm among high-risk groups and the general population.

Toward a common research agenda

Alcohol-related-injury prevention has an ambiguous …