TY - JOUR
T1 - The neighbourhood social environment and alcohol use among urban and rural Scottish adolescents
AU - Martin, Gina
AU - Inchley, Joanna
AU - Marshall, Alan
AU - Shortt, Niamh
AU - Currie, Candace
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding Funding for the Scottish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children was provided by NHS Scotland. This work was also supported by the 600th Anniversary Ph.D. Scholarship which was awarded to Gina Martin by the University of St Andrews. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, The Author(s).
PY - 2019/1/2
Y1 - 2019/1/2
N2 - Objectives: This research examined the relationship between neighbourhood social environmental characteristics and drinking outcomes among a sample of urban and rural adolescents. Methods: From a sample of 1558 Scottish secondary schoolchildren, surveyed as part of the 2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, we modelled three drinking outcomes on a variety of neighbourhood conditions, including social cohesion, disorder, alcohol outlet density, deprivation, and urban/rurality. Nested and cross-classified multilevel logistic regressions were specified. Results: An urban-to-rural gradient was found with non-urban adolescents exhibiting higher odds of having ever drank. Neighbourhood social cohesion related to having ever drank. Among drinkers, those living in accessible small towns had higher odds of weekly drinking and drunkenness compared to urban areas. Higher odds of drunkenness were also found in remote rural areas. Those residing in the least deprived areas had lower odds of weekly drinking. Conclusions: In Scotland, inequalities exist in adolescent alcohol use by urban/rurality and neighbourhood social conditions. Findings support regional targeting of public health efforts to address inequalities. Future work is needed to develop and evaluate intervention and prevention approaches for neighbourhoods at risk.
AB - Objectives: This research examined the relationship between neighbourhood social environmental characteristics and drinking outcomes among a sample of urban and rural adolescents. Methods: From a sample of 1558 Scottish secondary schoolchildren, surveyed as part of the 2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study, we modelled three drinking outcomes on a variety of neighbourhood conditions, including social cohesion, disorder, alcohol outlet density, deprivation, and urban/rurality. Nested and cross-classified multilevel logistic regressions were specified. Results: An urban-to-rural gradient was found with non-urban adolescents exhibiting higher odds of having ever drank. Neighbourhood social cohesion related to having ever drank. Among drinkers, those living in accessible small towns had higher odds of weekly drinking and drunkenness compared to urban areas. Higher odds of drunkenness were also found in remote rural areas. Those residing in the least deprived areas had lower odds of weekly drinking. Conclusions: In Scotland, inequalities exist in adolescent alcohol use by urban/rurality and neighbourhood social conditions. Findings support regional targeting of public health efforts to address inequalities. Future work is needed to develop and evaluate intervention and prevention approaches for neighbourhoods at risk.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Alcohol
KW - Alcohol outlet density
KW - Cross-classified
KW - Disorder
KW - Multilevel
KW - Neighbourhood
KW - Rural
KW - Social cohesion
KW - Urban
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058036663&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00038-018-1181-8
DO - 10.1007/s00038-018-1181-8
M3 - Journal Article
C2 - 30511169
AN - SCOPUS:85058036663
SN - 1661-8556
VL - 64
SP - 95
EP - 105
JO - International Journal of Public Health
JF - International Journal of Public Health
IS - 1
ER -