DRINKING  IN NEW ZEALAND

National Surveys Comparison 1995 & 2000

 

Ruth Habgood, Sally Casswell, Megan Pledger and Krishna Bhatta,  

 

Alcohol & Public Health Research Unit, November 2001

ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS

PROBLEMS FROM OWN DRINKING

Respondents were asked about their experiences of specific consequences of their own drinking over the past 12 months. These will all be referred to as ‘problems’, although they clearly vary in impact. Respondents were asked about 15 specific kinds of problems related to their drinking (see Table 4). In 2000, 61% of the men and 49% of the women reported at least one of the problems, while 27% of men and 18% of women reported three or more. Five or more problems were reported by 11% of men and 7% of women.

There was a decrease in the percentage of men reporting one or more problems in the past 12 months (from 64% to 61%), whereas there was an increase among women reporting one or more, from 44% to 49%.  Similarly, there was a decrease in the percentage of men experiencing five or more problems, from 13% in 1995 to 11% in 2000, whereas among women there was an increase from 5% in 1995 to 7% in 2000.

Table 4 presents the proportions of men and women who had experienced each of the 15 problems. The general trend across all the problems was for the percentage of men reporting problems to have decreased and the percentage of women to have increased. For example, the percentage of men experiencing a hangover (the most often reported consequence of drinking) at least three times in the last year decreased from 35% of men to 31%. The opposite occurred for women who experienced increases in the frequency of hangovers at every level analysed (i.e. at least once, on at least three and on at least five occasions per year) compared to 1995.

The same pattern was repeated for the proportions of men and women who had experienced waking up the next day unable to remember things they had done while drinking. The proportion of men experiencing this problem at least three times decreased and the proportion of women having this experience at least once, at least three times and least five times all increased. An equally common problem was feeling the effects of alcohol while working, studying or doing housework. There was a decrease in the proportions of men who experienced this problem at least three times and at least five times and an increase in the proportions of women experiencing these effects at least once, at least three times and at least five times in the previous 12 months. These patterns were also repeated for those who had felt ashamed of something they had done when drinking and had got drunk when there was an important reason to stay sober.

There were increases in the proportions of women who had their performance at work affected as a result of their drinking at least three times and at least five times, and whose hands shook the morning after drinking at least once, at least three times and at least five times, although the numbers of women affected were relatively small (1-2%).

Table 4

Proportions of self-reported problems from own drinking  

Figure 20 shows the percentages of men in each age group who reported at least five problems. There were no significant changes in the proportion of men in any individual age group reporting five or more problems between 1995 and 2000.

Figure 20

Figure 21 shows the women of different age groups reporting the experience of five or more problems in the past 12 months. There was a strong increase in the proportion of women aged 16-17 who reported five or more problems (from 14% to 30%) and a smaller increase for those aged 30-39 (from 3% to 6%).

Figure 21  

Younger people were more likely to report these problems; about one third of men aged, 16-17, 18-19, and 20-24 years and between 20% and 30% of women in those age groups reported experiencing at least five problems in the past year. Since the 16-17 year olds showed large increases in the amounts consumed, changes in the proportions of those experiencing seven or more problems were explored for this age group. There was a strong increase in the proportion of 16-17 year old women experiencing seven or more problems, from 2% in 1995 to 13% in 2000. An increase from 8% to 12% for men aged 16-17 did not reach the level of significance.

Reports of driving after drinking

Drinkers were asked how often they had driven when they had probably had too much to drink. There were decreases overall in the proportion of men and in the proportion of those aged 20-49 who had driven at least once when they had probably had too much to drink (Figure 22). There were also decreases in the proportion of men in the 20-49 age groups who had driven under these circumstances between 1995 and 2000.  

The picture for women was mixed with no change in the over 30 age groups. There was a decrease in the proportion of women aged 20-24 who had driven at least once under these circumstances from 20% to 11%. Increases among women aged 16-19, which were lower than other age groups in 1995, did not reach the level of significance.

Figure 22

PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OTHERS’ DRINKING^[1]

People were asked whether others’ drinking had had harmful effects on three areas of their lives; their home life, friendships or social life, and financial position, and also whether these had been small, medium or large harmful effects.

About one in five reported some effect on their home life and more than one in four on friendship or social life as a result of other people’s drinking. There was a decrease in the proportion of the sample who felt there had been a harmful effect from someone else’s drinking on their home life but no change in relation to friendship and social life. More than one in ten of the sample in both years felt there had been an impact on their financial position related to others’ drinking and this was not different in 2000 from 1995 (Figure 23).  

Figure 23

The proportions of men (15%) reporting large or medium harmful effects from others’ drinking on one or more areas of life did not change significantly between 1995 and 2000. The proportions of women reporting these effects decreased from 22% in 1995 to 20% in 2000 (Figure 24).  

Figure 24

Respondents were also asked whether they had experienced four specific types of problems as a result of others’ drinking. Table 5 shows that men (8%) were more likely than women (5%) to report that they had been physically assaulted by someone who had been drinking in the previous 12 months, whereas women were much more likely than men to report sexual harassment (10% compared with 3%). The proportions of women and men reporting experiences of sexual harassment and women reporting physical assault did not change between 1995 and 2000. There was a decrease, however, in the proportions of men reporting physical assault in 2000 compared with 1995.

Younger people were the most likely to experience sexual harassment and physical assault as a result of someone else’s drinking. Almost one in five men aged 14-29 and more than one in ten of women of the same age group reported that they had been physically assaulted in the previous 12 months as a result of someone else’s drinking. One in five women aged 14-29 stated that they had been sexually harassed by drinkers (22% in 1995 and 19% in 2000).

One percent of women had been involved in a motor vehicle accident resulting from someone else’s drinking in the previous 12 months in both 1995 and 2000. The proportion of men experiencing this problem decreased, from 3% in 1995 to 2% in 2000. For other types of major accident resulting from someone else’s drinking the figures also reduced for men from 3% to 2% but remained at the same level for women (2%).

Table 5

Problems experienced as a result of someone else’s drinking in the past 12 months

HOST RESPONSIBILITY

In an effort to reduce problems associated with drinking in New Zealand, there has been a focus on promoting responsible hosting practices in both private homes and licensed premises. This involves the host or server of alcohol taking responsibility for their guests’ or patrons’ drinking. In licensed premises this includes not serving patrons until, or after they are intoxicated. It also includes no sales of alcohol to those under the minimum purchase age. In licensed premises these provisions are required by law.

SERVING DRUNKS

People were asked about the likelihood that someone who was drunk would be served alcohol in a range of locations with which they were familiar. The majority of people who drank at pubs/hotels/taverns in 1995 thought it was likely that a drunk would be served alcohol there (79%) but this decreased to 73% in 2000. Two-thirds (67%) of those who drank at sports clubs in 1995 thought it likely that a drunk would be served at this location and this had also decreased by 2000 (62%). Although most (78%) patrons of nightclubs also expected that drunks would be served in 1995, this did not change significantly in 2000 (76%). There was a slight increase, however, in the proportions who thought a drunk person would be served at a friend’s home (from 44% to 48%).

POLICE MONITORING

Previous research has identified the importance of proactive police monitoring of licensed premises to increase the implementation of the law (McKnight and Streff, 1994). Drinkers were asked how often they had seen police visiting in the previous 12 months, while they were drinking. There was a decrease in the proportions of those who had seen police at least once in pubs/hotels or taverns, from 44% in 1995 to 37% in 2000 (Table 7). Half the patrons of nightclubs had seen police at least once in 2000 and 15% had seen them in sports clubs. There was no change in either case from 1995.

As shown in the last two columns of data in Table 6, the proportion of drinking occasions on which police were seen visiting pubs/hotels decreased from 1995 to 2000, from 10% to 6% but did not change significantly at sports clubs (2%), or at nightclubs (13%).

Table 6

Police visits to licensed premises

PURCHASE AND ACCESS TO ALCOHOL ON LICENSED PREMISES BY YOUNGER DRINKERS

All drinkers under 20 were asked where they drank, how often they were refused entry to various licensed premises or, once inside, refused alcohol because of their age and how often they were asked for age verification documents. In 1995, 18-19 year olds were able to purchase alcohol if accompanied by a spouse, parent or guardian over 20 and could purchase in the context of a meal. By 2000 the law had changed to allow unrestricted purchase from licensed premises for all 18-19 year olds and age verification documents had been defined in law. For those aged under 18 it was illegal to purchase alcohol, but not illegal to drink on licensed premises if supplied by parents in either period.

18-19 year olds

There were few changes in the proportions of 18-19 year olds drinking in any licensed location (Table 7). Pubs were the most popular drinking venue for those aged 18-19 years (72%) and this had not changed from 1995. There was an increase in the percentage of those aged 18-19 drinking in nightclubs (from 60% to 68%) but this was not statistically significant. Similarly a decrease in those drinking at restaurants, cafés and coffee shops (67% to 60%) was not significantly different but there was a significant decline in those consuming alcohol in sports clubs (37% to 26%) and at sports events (41% to 30%).

More than half of those aged 18-19 had drunk at special events such as dances, music events and festivals in 2000 (58%). This location was not asked about in 1995.

Almost eighty percent of men (78%) and almost seventy percent of women (67%) aged 18-19 had consumed alcohol at pubs, hotels or taverns in the previous 12 months and this had not changed significantly for either group since 1995.

There were few changes for men or women at any location between 1995 and 2000, although there had been a decrease in the proportion of men drinking at restaurants/cafés and coffee shops (from 72% to 58%) and at sports events (from 54% to 40%).

Not surprisingly, given the introduction of the lower minimum purchase age between surveys, there was a sharp decline in visits that resulted in refusal of entry or refusal to allow purchase of alcohol because of age on licensed premises. This occurred in both pubs and nightclubs where 18-19 year olds drank more than six times as often as they experienced refusals in 1995 but more than fifty times as often in 2000.[1] There was no change in sports clubs where refusals were already very low (Table 8).

Requests for age identification from 18-19 year olds were made about half as often (0.46) as the number of times they had consumed alcohol in a pub. The ratio of age identification checks to visits in which alcohol was consumed was highest in nightclubs (0.57) for this age group. It was much lower for sports clubs (0.22), sports events (0.14), special events (0.15) and restaurants (0.6).

16-17 year olds

There were no significant changes in the proportions of 16-17 year olds drinking at least once in the previous 12 months in any of the licensed locations. About one in four had consumed alcohol at least once in pubs, hotels or taverns, at sports events and at sports clubs. Slightly higher proportions had consumed alcohol in restaurants, cafés or coffee shops (36%), but special events was where the largest proportion of 16-17 year olds (57%) had consumed alcohol. Nightclubs accounted for the lowest proportions (17% in 2000) (Table 7).

There was also little change between 1995 and 2000 in the proportions of males and females in this age group drinking in any location but there was a decrease in the proportion of 16-17 year old females drinking at least once in nightclubs in the previous 12 months (from 30% to 17%).

Refusal of entry or refusal to allow purchase of alcohol increased in relation to drinking occasions in nightclubs between 1995 and 2000 (from 0.1 to 0.2) but there were no significant changes in refusals for 16-17 year olds in any of the other licensed locations. The ratio of refusals to drinking occasions was still low, only one refusal for every five drinking occasions in both nightclubs and in pubs but was even lower (less than one refusal for every twenty drinking occasions at sports clubs, sports events, special events and in restaurants, cafés and coffee shops (Table 8).[2]

This age group experienced somewhat fewer requests for identification as a proportion of drinking occasions in licensed locations than 18-19 year olds, 0.38 compared with 0.46 for pubs and 0.43 compared with 0.57 for nightclubs. This could indicate that a higher proportion of 16-17 year olds drinking in these locations might be obtaining their drinks from someone 18 years or older. The ratios in other locations were even lower and were also much lower than for 18-19 year olds, 0.06 for sports clubs, 0.1 at sports events, 0.01 for restaurants and 0.03 for special events.

14-15 year olds

The most popular licensed drinking locations for the youngest drinkers, those aged 14-15, in 2000 was at special events. Fifty-one percent of 14-15 year olds had consumed alcohol at special events in 2000. Restaurants, cafés and coffee shops (27%) and sports events (19%) also supplied a disproportionate number of 14-15 year olds with alcohol compared to the other licensed locations (Table 7). Refusals because of age in relation to drinking at these locations were very low, less than one refusal for every fifty visits in which alcohol was consumed (0.02) at special events such as dances, music events and festivals and at restaurants and less than one to thirty (0.03) at sports events (Table 8).

Fewer 14-15 year olds drank in pubs (10%) and nightclubs (2%) than at the other locations. However, the ratio of refusals to drinking occasions in pubs and in nightclubs was higher than in other licensed locations, up to one request for every four visits (0.21 and 0.25 respectively in 2000). Decreases in refusals between 1995 and 2000 at these locations did not reach the level of significance. The only location where the refusals increased in relation to drinking occasions for 14-15 year olds was in sports clubs, from 0.02 in 1995 to 0.16 in 2000. However, this result was based on small numbers and should be interpreted with caution. Only 7% of 14-15 year old drinkers had consumed alcohol in sports clubs in the previous 12 months.

There were few changes between 1995 and 2000 in the proportion of those aged of 14-15 drinking in any of the licensed locations. There was a decrease in the proportions drinking in sports clubs, from 14% to 7%. There was an increase in the proportion of males aged 14-15 who drank in restaurants, cafés and coffee shops (from 10% to 23%) and at sports events, from 10% in 1995 to 24% in 2000. The ratio of refusals to drinking occasions in these locations was low (0.02 and 0.03 respectively).

This age group also experienced fewer requests for age identification in relation to drinking occasions in pubs than 18-19 year olds, 0.31 compared with 0.46 for pubs but they were similar in nightclubs 0.53 compared with 0.57. Once again, it may be that a higher proportion of under 18 year olds obtained their drinks from someone 18 or older in pubs. Requests for age identification in relation to drinking occasions in other locations were very low, less than one request for every six drinking occasions in sports clubs (0.16), and at sports events (0.13), and less than one to twenty five for restaurants (0.04) and for special events (0.02).

 Table 7

 Proportion of 14-19 year old drinkers drinking in licensed premises

Table 8

Ratio of drinking occasions to visits that resulted in refusal of entry or refusal to allow purchase of alcohol on licensed premises

PURCHASE OF TAKEAWAY ALCOHOL BY YOUNGER DRINKERS

Drinkers under 20 were also asked about their experiences buying takeaway alcohol.

18-19 year olds

There was an increase in the proportion of 18-19 year olds who had bought alcohol at least once from wine shops or wholesalers (70% in 1995 and 83% in 2000). This increase was particularly marked among women, from 54% to 79%. There was also a marked increase in sales from supermarkets (26%-64%) but there were no significant changes in the proportions of 18-19 year olds purchasing alcohol from hotel/tavern bottle stores and from sports clubs. There was, however, a decrease among males buying from hotel or tavern bottle stores (Table 9).

The ratio of refusals to successful purchases by 18-19 year olds decreased, as might be expected, to between 0.02 and 0.03 for all the locations except sports clubs (0.1) and superettes or dairies (0.12) where refusals in relation to purchases were slightly higher (Table 10).

The ratio of requests for age identification in takeaway outlets to successful purchases was more consistent than it was for licensed premises. Almost twice as many successful purchases were made as there were requests for age identification in sports clubs (0.49) by 18-19 year olds. Around three purchases were made for every request for age identification in supermarkets (0.36), hotel/tavern bottle stores (0.33), wine shops (0.32) and dairies (0.37). 

16-17 year olds

The changes for 16-17 year olds between the surveys were in the opposite direction. The percentages who bought alcohol at least once in the previous 12 months from bottle stores in pubs, hotels or taverns decreased from 30% in 1995 to 21% in 2000, and from 30% to 19% for females aged 16-17. There was also a decrease in the proportions buying from wine shops, from 31% to 23% but there was no significant change for sports clubs (6%) (Table 9).

Purchases of alcohol from supermarkets have shown strong increases from 8% to 15% of this age group.

The number of refusals compared to the number of successful purchases increased sharply in supermarkets (from 0 in 1995 to 0.12 in 2000) and sports clubs (from 0.1 to 0.36). Refusals as a proportion of successful purchases were similar in wine shops (0.09) and in hotel/tavern bottle stores (0.14) in 2000 and did not change between 1995 and 2000 (Table 10).

Access to alcohol from superettes and dairies was not asked about in 1995 however, while only 2% had purchased alcohol there in 2000, the refusal rate was higher in this location than in other takeaway outlets with just under one refusal for every two successful purchases (0.46).

As was the case for on-premise licensed locations, 16-17 year olds experienced fewer requests for identification as a proportion of successful purchases than 18-19 year olds. The number of attempts to buy takeaway alcohol that resulted in requests for age identification as a proportion of successful purchases was highest in dairies, almost two purchases were made for every request for age identification (0.45) and lowest in hotel or tavern bottle stores, less than one request for every seven purchases and in wine shops (0.13 and 0.11 respectively). The ratio of age identification requests to successful purchases was about one in five at sports clubs (0.19) and supermarkets (0.22).

14-15 year olds

With the exception of bottle stores, where the proportions of 14–15 year olds purchasing alcohol had decreased from 12% in 1995 to 5% in 2000, there was little change between 1995 and 2000 in the proportions buying takeaway alcohol at any location. In 2000 the proportions of 14-15 year olds who had bought alcohol at least once from bottle stores, wineshops and supermarkets in the previous 12 months were much the same (5%, 8%, and 6% respectively) (Table 9).

The number of refusals as a proportion of successful purchases rose sharply between 1995 and 2000 in hotel/tavern bottle stores from 0.11 to 0.64. However, it should be noted that these changes are based on small numbers and should be interpreted with caution (Table 10).

The numbers of requests for age identification in each takeaway location was very small for 14-15 year olds so results are not reported for this group.

Table 9

Proportion of each age group purchasing takeaway alcohol in previous 12 months

 Table 10

Ratio of successful takeaway purchases to refusals to allow purchase of takeaway alcohol.

OTHER SOURCES OF ALCOHOL SUPPLY FOR THOSE UNDER MINIMUM PURCHASE AGE

In the 2000 survey those under 18, i.e. under the minimum purchase age, were asked about sources of supply of alcohol other than purchasing it themselves. They were asked how often they had consumed alcohol purchased by someone else, who bought it and who bought it for them the most often.

16-17 year olds

 

Ninety percent of 16-17 year old drinkers had obtained alcohol from another person at least once in the previous 12 months. Almost 60% of 16-17 year olds obtained alcohol at least once every couple of months from another person and 44% at least once a month (Table 11). More than a quarter of 16-17 year old drinkers were being supplied with alcohol fortnightly to monthly. One in ten were being supplied weekly to fortnightly by another person.

 

Friends predominated as a source of supply for 16-17 year olds with over two thirds obtaining alcohol from this source at least once in the previous 12 months. Half of the drinkers in this age group had been supplied alcohol by parents and one fifth by siblings. One in ten had obtained alcohol from another family member and a similar proportion from another non-family adult (Table 12).

 

Friends were also cited as the most frequent supplier for 16-17 year old drinkers (52%). Just over a third of drinkers in this age group (35%) received alcohol most frequently from parents (Table 13).

14-15 year olds

 

Almost three quarters (71%) of 14-15 year old drinkers had obtained alcohol from another person at least once in the previous 12 months. One third of those aged 14-15 were supplied with alcohol at least once every two months and one fifth of 14-15 year old drinkers were being supplied at least monthly by another person (Table 11). Twelve percent of 14-15 year olds, were having alcohol purchased for them monthly to fortnightly and 6% weekly to fortnightly- about half as many as 16-17 year olds.

 

Friends and parents were also the most common sources of supply for 14-15 year olds. Forty five percent of 14-15 year old drinkers had alcohol purchased for them by friends, and 39% by parents in the previous 12 months. About one in six had alcohol purchased for them by a sibling (Table 12).

Friends were also cited as the most frequent suppliers by 14-15 year olds the most often (46%), as for 16-17 year olds, but almost as many 14-15 year olds were being supplied most often by parents (41%) (Table 13).

 

The most frequent suppliers for younger males aged 14-15 were parents (43%) followed by friends (39%) but for females aged 14-15 this pattern was reversed. Friends supplied alcohol most often (56%) followed by parents (38%). These gender differences were not observed among the 16-17 year olds.

 

Table 11

Proportion of younger drinkers by frequency of obtaining alcohol from someone else in the previous 12 months

 Table 12:

Proportion of younger drinkers who had alcohol purchased for them in the previous 12 months by source

 *Note: Drinkers may obtain alcohol from multiple sources

Table 13

Most frequent purchasers of alcohol for younger drinkers

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