TY - JOUR PY - 2016// TI - Pre-drinking behavior of young heavy drinkers JO - Substance use and misuse A1 - Ogeil, Rowan P. A1 - Lloyd, Belinda A1 - Lam, Tina A1 - Lenton, Simon A1 - Burns, Lucinda A1 - Aiken, Alexandra A1 - Gilmore, William A1 - Chikritzhs, Tanya A1 - Mattick, Richard A1 - Allsop, Steve A1 - Lubman, Dan I. SP - 1297 EP - 1306 VL - 51 IS - 10 N2 - BACKGROUND: Pre-drinking has been linked to subsequent heavy drinking and the engagement in multiple risky behaviors.

OBJECTIVES: The present study examined a group of adolescents who recently had a "big night out" to determine whether there were differences in their pre-drinking behavior based on age, gender, geographic location, and social setting.

METHODS: Participants (n = 351, aged 16-19) representing the heaviest 20-25% of drinkers in their age group were recruited using nonrandom sampling from metropolitan (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth) or regional (Bunbury) locations across Australia and administered a survey by a trained interviewer.

RESULTS: Almost half the sample pre-drank (n = 149), most commonly at a friend's house. Those aged 18-19 were more likely to pre-drink, and did so at higher quantities compared to their younger counterparts. Males and females reported similar pre-drinking duration, quantity and amount spent on alcohol. Compared to those in cities, regional participants consumed greater quantities over longer periods of time. Two-thirds of participants consumed alcohol in excess of national guidelines during their pre-drinking session. These participants were more likely to nominate price as a motivation to pre-drink and were less likely to report that someone else provided them alcohol.

CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on the pre-drinking habits of a population of young risky drinkers, and highlights the need for policy makers to address this form of drinking to reduce alcohol-related harm among young people.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1082-6084 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10826084.2016.1168443 ID - ref1 ER -