Association Between Young Australian's Drinking Behaviours and Their Interactions With Alcohol Brands on Facebook: Results of an Online Survey.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association of alcohol-brand social networking pages and Facebook users' drinking attitudes and behaviours.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, self-report data were obtained from a convenience sample of 283 Australian Facebook users aged 16-24 years via an online survey.


RESULTS
More than half of the respondents reported using Facebook for more than an hour daily. While only 20% had actively interacted with an alcohol brand on Facebook, we found a significant association between this active interaction and alcohol consumption, and a strong association between engagement with alcohol brands on Facebook and problematic drinking.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study demonstrate the need for further research into the complex interaction between social networking and alcohol consumption, and add support to calls for effective regulation of alcohol marketing on social network platforms.
Centre for Health and Social Research (CHaSR), Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia sandra.jones@acu.edu.au.
Sandra C
SC
Jones
Centre for Health Initiatives, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Laura
L
Robinson
Centre for Health Initiatives, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Lance
L
Barrie
Centre for Health and Social Research (CHaSR), Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Kate
K
Francis
Centre for Health Initiatives, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Jeong Kyu
JK
Lee
D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult