title: Gender differences in the impact of population-level alcohol policy interventions: evidence synthesis of systematic reviews.
abstract: Consistent review-level evidence supports the effectiveness of population-level alcohol policies in reducing alcohol-related harms. Such policies interact with well-established social, cultural and biological differences in how men and women perceive, relate to and use alcohol, and with wider inequalities, in ways which may give rise to gender differences in policy effectiveness. This paper aimed to examine the extent to which gender-specific data and analyses were considered in, and are available from, systematic reviews of population-level alcohol policy interventions, and where possible, to conduct a narrative synthesis of relevant data.
  
  
  
  A prior systematic 'review of reviews' of population level alcohol interventions 2002-2012 was updated to May 2014, all gender-relevant data extracted, and the level and quality of gender reporting assessed. A narrative synthesis of extracted findings was conducted.
  
  
  
  Sixty-three systematic reviews, covering ten policy areas, were included. Five reviews (8%) consistently provided information on baseline participation by gender for each individual study in the review and twenty-nine (46%) reported some gender-specific information on the impact of the policies under consideration. Specific findings include evidence of possible gender differences in the impact of and exposure to alcohol marketing, and a failure to consider potential unintended consequences and harm to others in most reviews.
  
  
  
  Gender is poorly reported in systematic reviews of population-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, hindering assessment of the intended and unintended effects of such policies on women and men.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Marketing, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK. niamh.fitzgerald@stir.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Niamh
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3643-8165
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Marketing, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Angus
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Health Research, School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Emslie
authors.affiliation: NHS Health Scotland, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shipton
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Marketing, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, School of Health Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauld
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D003132:Commerce; D000066448:Driving Under the Influence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D040541:Marketing; D012572:School Health Services; D012737:Sex Factors; D013660:Taxes; D017132:Workplace
keywords: Alcohol drinking; alcohol policy; alcohol-related harms; equity; gender; public health policy; review