title: Neighbourhood availability of alcohol outlets and hazardous alcohol consumption in New Zealand.
abstract: The socio-spatial arrangement of alcohol retailers is potentially important in understanding the relationship between neighbourhood context and 'excessive' alcohol consumption. This New Zealand study examines whether the availability of alcohol products is associated with individual-level alcohol consumption. Measures capturing the availability of alcohol retailers were calculated for neighbourhoods across the country and then appended to a national health survey. At the national level there was no evidence for an association between hazardous consumption and alcohol outlet access. However, there was evidence of associations with neighbourhood retailing for younger Māori and Pacific peoples males; younger European females; middle-aged European men; and older men. The findings provide evidence that 'alcogenic' environments are associated with excessive drinking in New Zealand, albeit that the associations are restricted to particular vulnerable groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. Electronic address: fayuka@mad.scientist.com.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ayuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh, Geography Building, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, Scotland.
authors.forename: Jamie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearce
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D003132:Commerce; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol outlets access; Deprivation; Hazardous alcohol consumption; Neighbourhood availability; Socio-spatial arrangement