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Public acceptability of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol consumption: a discrete choice experiment

Public acceptability of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol consumption: a discrete choice experiment
Public acceptability of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol consumption: a discrete choice experiment
Public acceptability influences policy action, but the most acceptable policies are not always the most effective. This discrete choice experiment provides a novel investigation of the acceptability of different interventions to reduce alcohol consumption and the effect of information on expected effectiveness, using a UK general population sample of 1202 adults. Policy options included high, medium and low intensity versions of: Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol; reducing numbers of alcohol retail outlets; and regulating alcohol advertising. Outcomes of interventions were predicted for: alcohol-related crimes; alcohol-related hospital admissions; and heavy drinkers. First, the models obtained were used to predict preferences if expected outcomes of interventions were not taken into account. In such models around half of participants or more were predicted to prefer the status quo over implementing outlet reductions or higher intensity MUP. Second, preferences were predicted when information on expected outcomes was considered, with most participants now choosing any given intervention over the status quo. Acceptability of MUP interventions increased by the greatest extent: from 43% to 63% preferring MUP of £1 to the status quo. Respondents' own drinking behaviour also influenced preferences, with around 90% of non-drinkers being predicted to choose all interventions over the status quo, and with more moderate than heavy drinkers favouring a given policy over the status quo. Importantly, the study findings suggest public acceptability of alcohol interventions is dependent on both the nature of the policy and its expected effectiveness. Policy-makers struggling to mobilise support for hitherto unpopular but promising policies should consider giving greater prominence to their expected outcomes.

uk, public acceptability, alcohol, health policy
0277-9536
104-109
Pechey, Rachel
46ff1f1b-2cfb-4b97-a322-12d6ce814987
Burge, Peter
2915d074-218c-4645-aa94-88f00671fe54
Mentzakis, Emmanouil
c0922185-18c7-49c2-a659-8ee6d89b5d74
Suhrcke, Marc
aec41f37-efdf-43bd-934d-8b2b5df4b5cf
Marteau, Theresa M.
b0519138-0d20-419c-8bd2-99afb591cc07
Pechey, Rachel
46ff1f1b-2cfb-4b97-a322-12d6ce814987
Burge, Peter
2915d074-218c-4645-aa94-88f00671fe54
Mentzakis, Emmanouil
c0922185-18c7-49c2-a659-8ee6d89b5d74
Suhrcke, Marc
aec41f37-efdf-43bd-934d-8b2b5df4b5cf
Marteau, Theresa M.
b0519138-0d20-419c-8bd2-99afb591cc07

Pechey, Rachel, Burge, Peter, Mentzakis, Emmanouil, Suhrcke, Marc and Marteau, Theresa M. (2014) Public acceptability of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol consumption: a discrete choice experiment. Social Science & Medicine, 113, 104-109. (doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.05.010). (PMID:24858928)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Public acceptability influences policy action, but the most acceptable policies are not always the most effective. This discrete choice experiment provides a novel investigation of the acceptability of different interventions to reduce alcohol consumption and the effect of information on expected effectiveness, using a UK general population sample of 1202 adults. Policy options included high, medium and low intensity versions of: Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol; reducing numbers of alcohol retail outlets; and regulating alcohol advertising. Outcomes of interventions were predicted for: alcohol-related crimes; alcohol-related hospital admissions; and heavy drinkers. First, the models obtained were used to predict preferences if expected outcomes of interventions were not taken into account. In such models around half of participants or more were predicted to prefer the status quo over implementing outlet reductions or higher intensity MUP. Second, preferences were predicted when information on expected outcomes was considered, with most participants now choosing any given intervention over the status quo. Acceptability of MUP interventions increased by the greatest extent: from 43% to 63% preferring MUP of £1 to the status quo. Respondents' own drinking behaviour also influenced preferences, with around 90% of non-drinkers being predicted to choose all interventions over the status quo, and with more moderate than heavy drinkers favouring a given policy over the status quo. Importantly, the study findings suggest public acceptability of alcohol interventions is dependent on both the nature of the policy and its expected effectiveness. Policy-makers struggling to mobilise support for hitherto unpopular but promising policies should consider giving greater prominence to their expected outcomes.

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More information

Published date: July 2014
Keywords: uk, public acceptability, alcohol, health policy
Organisations: Economics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 365135
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/365135
ISSN: 0277-9536
PURE UUID: a623875a-a36c-4a4d-8c41-fddbcbd56d69
ORCID for Emmanouil Mentzakis: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1761-209X

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Date deposited: 27 May 2014 09:52
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:42

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Contributors

Author: Rachel Pechey
Author: Peter Burge
Author: Marc Suhrcke
Author: Theresa M. Marteau

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