title: Public support for alcohol policies associated with knowledge of cancer risk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several options are advocated by policy experts to mitigate alcohol-related harms, although the most effective strategies often have the least public support. While knowledge of tobacco-related health risks predicts support for relevant public health measures, it is not known whether knowledge of alcohol health risks is similarly associated with the acceptability of policies intended to reduce alcohol consumption and related harms. This study aims to gauge public support for a range of alcohol policies and to determine whether or not support is associated with knowledge of a long-term health risk of alcohol consumption, specifically cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  2482 adults in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, participated in an online survey. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between demographic data, alcohol consumption, smoking status, knowledge of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer and support for alcohol-related policies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants were supportive of health warnings, restricting access to internet alcohol advertising to young people, and requiring information on national drinking guidelines on alcohol containers. Almost half of participants supported a ban on sport sponsorship, while less than 41% supported price increases, volumetric taxation, or reducing the number of retail outlets. Only 47% of participants identified drinking too much alcohol as a risk factor for cancer. Knowledge of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer was a significant predictor of support for all policies, while level of alcohol consumption had a significant inverse relationship with policy support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding that support for alcohol management policies is associated with awareness that drinking too much alcohol may contribute to cancer could assist in the planning of future public health interventions. Improving awareness of the long term health risks of alcohol consumption may be one avenue to increasing public support for effective alcohol harm-reduction policies.
authors.affiliation: Monash University, School of Rural Health, Bendigo, Australia; University of Sheffield School of Health and Related Research, UK. Electronic address: p.f.buykx@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Penny
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buykx
authors.affiliation: University of Newcastle, School of Medicine and Public Health, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Conor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilligan
authors.affiliation: Monash University, School of Rural Health, Bendigo, Australia.
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Monash University, School of Rural Health, Bendigo, Australia; University of Melbourne, Centre for Health and Society, Australia.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kippen
authors.affiliation: Cancer Council of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chapman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009517:New South Wales; D010465:Perception; D065840:Protective Factors; D011639:Public Opinion; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Cancer; Policy; Public opinion