Below we set out a number of the key alcohol-related indicators which we believe will help us develop a robust monitoring framework. To be useful, an indicator should have the following characteristics:
The indicators are set out under a number of broad categories - alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harm and awareness, attitudes to alcohol, and price. Given the disproportionate affect alcohol misuse has on the most deprived communities, a key measure of success will be addressing the inequality gap seen across a range of alcohol misuse indicators. Some may be achieved in the short-term; others by their very nature will take longer to attain. A monitoring and evaluation framework will be developed in the coming months.
Indicator | Measure | Source | Level of analysis | Frequency | Notes |
|---|
Consumption |
Adults | Proportion of adults exceeding daily and weekly recommended weekly limits, 'binge' drinking and self-reported drunkenness | Scottish Health Survey | Scotland, Health Boards ( HB), age, gender, SIMD | Annual (from 2009) | Health Board data available every 4 years. Gap between survey estimates and industry sales data. |
Per capita alcohol consumption | Per capita alcohol consumption (aged 16 and over) | The Nielsen Company | Scotland | Six monthly | Per capita alcohol consumption (aged 16 and above). Data from industry sources |
Children | Proportion of 13 and 15 year olds who drink alcohol, frequency of drinking and drunkenness, mean consumption levels, etc. | SALSUS | Scotland, HB, Local Authorities ( LA), ADAT, age, gender, | Biennial | Self-reported. Data available at LA, ADAT and HB level every 4 years |
Alcohol-related harm |
Alcohol-related general hospital discharges | Standardised rate of general hospital acute inpatient discharges with an alcohol-related diagnosis | ISD, SMR01 | Scotland, HB, LA, age, gender, SIMD | Annual | National indicator. Alcohol misuse recorded as primary or secondary diagnoses |
Alcohol-related harm (con't) |
Alcohol-related psychiatric hospital discharges | Standardised rate of psychiatric hospital inpatient discharges with an alcohol-related diagnosis | ISD, SMR04 | Scotland, HB, LA, age, gender, SIMD | Annual | Alcohol misuse is recorded as primary or secondary diagnoses |
General hospital discharges for liver disease | Standardised rate of general hospital acute inpatient discharges with a diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease | ISD, SMR01 | Scotland, HB, LA, age, gender, SIMD | Annual | Alcohol misuse is recorded as primary or secondary diagnoses |
Alcohol-related deaths | Standardised alcohol-related death rate | GROS | Scotland, HB, LA, age, gender, SIMD | Annual | Alcohol misuse is recorded as the underlying or contributory cause of death |
Alcohol-related homicides | Proportion of accused who were drunk or drunk and on drugs at the time of the offence | Scottish Government ( SG) | Scotland, Police Force area | Annual | Small number of cases allows limited demographic and geographic analysis |
Alcohol-related violence | Presence of alcohol in violence reported by victims of assault | SG | Scotland; Police Force area, gender, age | Annual | Self-reported perception of status of accused in assault cases |
Alcohol and Offenders | Proportion of prisoners drunk at the time of offences; proportion of prisoners with alcohol problems | Scottish Prisoner Survey | Scotland, gender, age | Annual | Self-reported |
Drunk driving | Number of offences per 100,000 population, number of causalities, number of accidents | SG | Scotland, Police Force area, LA, gender, age | Annual | Numbers may be influenced by police enforcement and other external factors |
Drunkenness | Offences of drunkenness per 10,000 population | SG | Scotland, Police Force area, LA, gender, age | Annual | Numbers may be influenced by police enforcement |
Children - negative consequences | Proportion of 13 and 15 year olds who report negative effects (trying drugs, getting into trouble, etc) as a consequence of drinking alcohol | SALSUS | Scotland, HB, LA, ADATs, gender | Biennial | Self-reported. Data available at LA, HB, and ADAT level every 4 years. |
Awareness, Attitudes, Price | | | | |
Awareness and knowledge of units | Awareness of recommended daily limits, knowledge of unit content | Scottish Social Attitudes Survey | Scotland, age, gender, SIMD | 2009 or 2010 | Benchmark data available from 2007 survey module. Repeat module to be commissioned in 2009 or 2010. |
Attitudes to alcohol | Range of measures of attitudes to drinking, drunkenness, perceptions of problems caused by alcohol, etc. | National surveys | Scotland, age, gender | Annual; | Benchmark data available from 2007 SSAS. Data available from Scottish Crime and Justice Survey. |
Availability and Price | Various measures of the price, affordability and availability of alcohol | Various | Scotland / UK | Various | Measure of the price, affordability and availability of alcohol |