DRINKING SETTINGS AND PROBLEMS OF INTOXICATION

A random household survey was used as a basis for exploring drinkers' reports regarding their alcohol consumption and experiences of alcohol -related harm at different drinking settings. Licensed drinking settin gs were chosen because previous research has shown that high risk drin king and resulting harm are more likely to occur there. A total of 321 drinkers who reported their recent heaviest drinking occasion took pl ace on licensed premises were identified from a sample of 1160 adults in Perth, Western Australia. Univariate analyses showed that both high risk consumption and harmful outcomes were more probable for drinkers who were under 25, male, single and had not eaten, and who had been d rinking at premises which were either hotels or nightclubs with a pred ominantly male clientele, where music was the main entertainment and w here customers were dancing. Following logistic regression analyses it was found that premises where customers were dancing (and/or listenin g to music), were predominantly male, and where drunk customers were c ontinued to be served, were significantly associated with high risk co nsumption. Logistic regression found that bring under 25, male and dri nking at premises where there was dancing and where drunk people conti nued to be served was a significant risk factor for alcohol-related ha rm. Taken together these findings support to the view that preventing alcohol-related harm will involve strategies which aim to reduce level s of consumption and intoxication on licensed premises.