Is commercial alcohol availability related to adolescent alcohol sources and alcohol use? Findings from a multi-level study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether compliance with underage sales laws by licensed retail establishments is related to underage use of commercial and social alcohol sources, perceived ease of obtaining alcohol, and alcohol use.


METHODS
In 2005, alcohol purchase surveys were conducted at 403 off-premise licensed retail establishments in 43 Oregon school districts. A survey also was administered to 3,332 11th graders in the districts. Multi-level logistic regression analyses were used to examine relationships between the school district-level alcohol sales rate and students' use of commercial and social alcohol sources, perceived ease of obtaining alcohol, past-30-day alcohol use, and heavy drinking.


RESULTS
The school district-level alcohol sales rate was positively related to students' use of commercial alcohol sources and perceived alcohol availability, but was not directly associated with use of social alcohol sources and drinking behaviors. Additional analyses indicated stronger associations between drinking behaviors and use of social alcohol sources relative to other predictors. These analyses also provided support for an indirect association between the school district-level alcohol sales rate and alcohol use behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
Compliance with underage alcohol sales laws by licensed retail establishments may affect underage alcohol use indirectly, through its effect on underage use of commercial alcohol sources and perceived ease of obtaining alcohol. However, use of social alcohol sources is more strongly related to underage drinking than use of commercial alcohol sources and perceived ease of obtaining alcohol.
Paschall
Mallie J
MJ
Prevention Research Center, Berkeley, California 94704, USA. paschall@pire.org <paschall@pire.org>
Grube
Joel W
JW
Black
Carol
C
Ringwalt
Christopher L
CL
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003132:Commerce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009922:Oregon / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires