Drinking alcohol at home and in public places and the time framing of risks

The United Kingdom has witnessed a steady rise in per capita consumption of alcohol in the three decades leading up to 2004 since when there has been a decline. Much of this increase can be accounted for by increased drinking away from licensed premises. In this article, we analyse the ways in which people who drink in such settings think about the temporal dimension of risks which they associate with alcohol consumption. We present findings from a qualitative study which explored accounts of drinking away from licensed premises, either at home or in public places such as parks, given by adults and young people of age 13 and over. We found that research participants associated drinking away from licensed premises with immediate risks. Those risks they identified included fights breaking out at home or in a public place, drinking to excess, falling over and becoming ill when intoxicated. Respondents mostly did not express concerns about longer-term health risks. However, some research participants did bring in a more extended time frame in relation to ‘setting boundaries’ so as to prevent gradual escalation of consumption, and avoiding ways in which ‘alcohol can change one’s life’ for the worse. We will argue that the predominance of mostly short-term thinking about alcohol consumption in the face of public health messages about the accumulation of health risks may be accounted for by the contradictory nature of such advice, and/or by the positive cultural and personal value placed on drinking

Alcohol, ageing and dementia: a Scottish perspective

There are complex relationships between alcohol use; processes of ageing both social and biological; and cognitive impairment. This paper takes Scotland as a case study to begin to unpick and explore these relationships and their implications for people who drink as they age. In recent years several policy documents have been published in Scotland that acknowledge the increasing prevalence of alcohol problems among people as they age. This paper is based on a review of the literature, analysis of recent Scottish policy documents and two research projects undertaken by the author. The links between alcohol use and dementia are discussed, focusing on biological and social implications for individuals as they age. Current responses in Scotland to these different issues are examined from individual, cultural and policy perspectives. Despite efforts in Scotland the needs of ageing and older individuals who experience alcohol-related morbidity are not sufficiently addressed