title: Measuring public opinion on alcohol policy: a factor analytic study of a US probability sample.
abstract: Public opinion has been one factor affecting change in policies designed to reduce underage alcohol use. Extant research, however, has been criticized for using single survey items of unknown reliability to define adult attitudes on alcohol policy issues. The present investigation addresses a critical gap in the literature by deriving scales on public attitudes, knowledge, and concerns pertinent to alcohol policies designed to reduce underage drinking using a US probability sample survey of 7021 adults. Five attitudinal scales were derived from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses addressing policies to: (1) regulate alcohol marketing, (2) regulate alcohol consumption in public places, (3) regulate alcohol distribution, (4) increase alcohol taxes, and (5) regulate youth access. The scales exhibited acceptable psychometric properties and were largely consistent with a rational framework which guided the survey construction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Hygiene, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 850 Hampton House, 624 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. wlatimer@jhsph.edu
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Latimer
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Newcomb
authors.forename: Alexander C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wagenaar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D014481:United States