1. Social marketing and community mobilisation to reduce underage alcohol consumption in Australia: A cluster randomised community trial.
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Rowland, Bosco Charles, Williams, Joanne, Smith, Rachel, Hall, Jessica Kate, Osborn, Amber, Kremer, Peter, Kelly, Adrian B., Leslie, Eva, Patton, George, Mohebbi, Mohammadreza, and Toumbourou, John W.
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ALCOHOL drinking , *PUBLIC health , *SOCIAL marketing , *MASS mobilization , *RANDOMIZED controlled trials , *BEHAVIOR , *COMPARATIVE studies , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICAL cooperation , *RESEARCH , *STATISTICAL sampling , *STUDENTS , *TEENAGERS' conduct of life , *EVALUATION research - Abstract
Background and Aims: In many countries adolescent alcohol use is a major health problem. To supplement national policies, it is important to trial community interventions as a potential strategy to prevent adolescent alcohol use.Methods: This study evaluated a multicomponent community intervention that included community mobilisation, social marketing, and the monitoring of alcohol sales to minors. Evaluation was a clustered randomised trial design with 14 intervention and 14 control communities. Prior to randomisation, communities were matched on socioeconomic status and location. Intervention communities were not blinded.Participants: 3545 Year 8 students (M = 12 years) were surveyed at baseline from 75 schools; 3377 students were surveyed post intervention in 2013 from 54 schools.Outcomes: It was hypothesised that the primary outcome, individual alcohol consumption in last 30 days, after the intervention would be 15% lower in intervention communities. Secondary outcomes were consumption in the past year and intention not to drink before age 18.Results: The intervention communities showed larger relative reductions compared to the controls in last 30-day consumption and past year (10%), but not significantly different. A significantly lower proportion of participants in the intervention community (63%), compared to the controls (71%), reported intending to drink before 18 years old. Subgroup analysis identified regional and state differences for some secondary measures.Conclusions: Intervention assignment was associated with lower adolescent intention to drink before the age of 18. However, more intensive and longer-term intervention may be required to measure significant differences in behaviour change.Trial Registration: ACTRN12612000384853.Protocol: Rowland B, Toumbourou JW, Osborn A, et al. BMJ Open 2013;3:e002423. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2012-002423. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2018
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