title: Social host policies and underage drinking parties.
abstract: Social host policies focused on underage drinking parties are implemented to reduce social availability of alcohol and high-risk drinking by adolescents in private locations. We examined the policies' relationship with drinking location, peer-group drinking size, heavy episodic drinking, and nonviolent consequences. Cross-sectional data from 11,205, 14-20-year olds, were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Policies were not associated with drinking location, decreased heavy episodic drinking, or nonviolent consequences. However, adolescents from communities with a preexisting policy had lower odds of drinking in large peer groups compared to those from communities without a policy at baseline. Additional research is needed to examine their effectiveness. The study's limitations are noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27157, USA. kwagoner@wakehealth.edu
authors.forename: Kimberly G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Wagoner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sparks
authors.forename: Vincent T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wyrick
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolfson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D011640:Public Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult