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Special Issue "Alcohol-Related Violence"

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 12548

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Peter Miller

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Guest Editor

School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
Interests: alcohol-related violence in licensed venues; predictors of violence; alcohol/drug use in rural populations; the behaviour of vested interests such as the global alcohol industry

Prof. Dr. Simon C. Moore
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Violence Research Group, Security, Crime & Intelligence Innovation Institute, SPARK, Maindy Road, Cardiff CF24 4HQ, UK
Interests: alcohol misuse; substance abuse

Dr. Richelle Mayshak
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
Interests: monitoring foot-traffic

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The burden of violence is a substantial public health issue. Globally, violence is a major cause of death and disability for people under the age of 44 years of age. Alcohol plays a significant role in violence, but the relationship is complex. It is important to consider drinking levels, patterns, the context in which alcohol is consumed, the personality of the drinker, and the way in which these factors interact to promote aggression and violence. Health conditions are also implicated including, but not limited to, mental health, cognitive disorders (such as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), and "diabetic rage.” However, the available evidence is spread broadly across disciplines, precluding opportunities for consolidation and synthesis. Furthermore, evidence can often be contested on ideological grounds, or to serve the vested interests of the alcohol industry and its affiliate industries (e.g., sports, advertising and music). The purpose of this Special Issue is to therefore provide a platform for articles of relevance that will stimulate scholarly investigation and discussion of the different factors associated with alcohol-related violence.

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) therefore welcomes submissions focusing on the relationship between alcohol, aggression and violence, including the impact of drinking patterns, drinker personalities, and drinking contexts. We also welcome submissions covering interventions that address alcohol-related aggression, including interventions in vulnerable populations, such as dependent drinkers and their families. Submissions can focus on activities that impede or facilitate the formulation and implementation of promising alcohol policies, including collaborations with policymakers, improving advocacy strategies, and exposing and countering conflicts of interest and/or the actions of industry actors. While the focus will be on empirical and review articles, articles with an editorial style or that propose methodological innovations will also be considered.

Prof. Dr. Peter Miller
Prof. Dr. Simon C. Moore
Dr. Richelle Mayshak

Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Description of Trends over the Week in Alcohol-Related Ambulance Attendance Data

and

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(8), 5583; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085583 - 19 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1139

Abstract

Alcohol harms are often determined using a proxy measure based on temporal patterns during the week when harms are most likely to occur. This study utilised coded Australian ambulance data from the Victorian arm of the National Ambulance Surveillance System (NASS) to investigate temporal patterns across the week for alcohol-related ambulance attendances in 2019. These patterns were examined by season, regionality, gender, and age group. We found clear temporal peaks: from Friday 6:00 p.m. to Saturday 3:59 a.m. for both alcohol-involved and alcohol-intoxication-related attendance, from Saturday 6:00 p.m. to Sunday 4:59 a.m. for alcohol-involved attendances, and from Saturday 5:00 p.m. to Sunday 4:49 a.m. for alcohol-intoxication-related attendances. However, these temporal trends varied across age groups. Additionally, hours during Thursday and Sunday evenings also demonstrated peaks in attendances. There were no substantive differences between genders. Younger age groups (18–24 and 25–29 years) had a peak of alcohol-related attendances from 7:00 p.m. to 7:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, whereas the peak in attendances for 50–59 and 60+ years was from 5:00 p.m. to 2:59 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. These findings further the understanding of the impacts of alcohol during different times throughout the week, which can guide targeted policy responses regarding alcohol use and health service capacity planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol-Related Violence)

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Open AccessArticle

An Exploration of the Multiplicative Effect of “Other People” and Other Environmental Effects on Violence in the Night-Time Environment

Simon C. Moore

Thomas E. Woolley

and

James White

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16963; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416963 - 16 Dec 2022

Viewed by 975

Abstract

Background: The characteristics of night-time environments (NTEs) in which alcohol is consumed and that contribute to violence are poorly described. We explore competing explanations for violence in the NTE, with a particular focus on the number of patrons and its association with assault-related visits to a hospital emergency department. Other environmental features including the weather and notable events were also considered. The primary aim was to stimulate debate around the causal mechanisms responsible for violence. Methods: Assault-related ED visits occurring between 8 pm and 4 am were recorded at the University Hospital of Wales, the single Emergency Department (ED) serving Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. Footfall was derived from the total number of unique MAC addresses recorded per hour collected from ten wireless fidelity monitoring tools located in the city centre. A narrative review of the literature concerning alcohol and violence informed exploratory analyses into the association between night-time footfall, sporting events, the weather, and other potential predictors of assault-related visits to the ED. We developed analytic methods from formal accounts of queueing. Results: International rugby matches at home, the weather (temperature), national holidays, the day of the week, and number of patrons in the NTE predicted assault-related injury (R² = 0.70), with footfall yielding a positive non-linear exponential association consistent with predictions derived from mathematical models of queueing. Discussion: Assault-related visits to the ED have a non-linear association with the number of people socialising in the night-time environment and are further influenced by the weather and notable events. Opportunities for further research that might inform policy and interventions aimed at better managing NTEs are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol-Related Violence)

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Open AccessArticle

Factors Associated with Unwanted Sexual Attention in Australian Nightlife Districts: An Exploratory Study of Nightlife Attendees

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16259; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316259 - 05 Dec 2022

Viewed by 903

Abstract

Background: Experiences of unwanted sexual attention (UWSA) are commonplace within nightlife environments. While typically associated with aggression perpetration, literature has suggested that a history of childhood corporal punishment (CCP) may also be related to experiences of victimisation in nightlife environments. The current exploratory study aims to examine the associations between experiences of UWSA victimisation and a history of CCP, trait aggression, and conformity to masculine norms (Playboy and Winning), for males and females separately. Method: Street intercept interviews in the Brisbane inner-city entertainment precincts were used to measure demographic details and participants’ breath alcohol concentration. Online follow-up surveys were used to record participants’ experiences of UWSA on the night of interview, history of CCP, and self-reported rates of trait aggression and conformity to masculine norms. The final sample consisted of 288 females, as there were not sufficient male UWSA experiences for analysis. Results: Approximately 20% of female nightlife patrons experienced some form of UWSA victimisation. Logistic regression analyses identified that after controlling for age and intoxication, a history of CCP, trait aggression and masculine norm conformity were unrelated to experiences of UWSA for female respondents. Conclusions: The current study found that individual factors were unrelated to experiences of UWSA, indicating that simply being in the nightlife environment, especially as a female, increases the risk of UWSA victimisation. Understanding and exploring social and environmental risk factors, rather than individual factors, is needed to prevent victimisation in nightlife environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol-Related Violence)

Open AccessArticle

Male Barroom Aggression among Members of the Australian Construction Industry: Associations with Heavy Episodic Drinking, Trait Variables and Masculinity Factors

Steven Litherland

Peter Miller

, Nic Droste and Kathryn Graham

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(13), 6769; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136769 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1740

Abstract

Introduction and Aims: Past research indicates heavy episodic drinking (HED), trait aggression, male honour and conformity to masculine norms are risk factors for male barroom aggression (MBA) perpetration. However, little is known about the impact of these variables on experiences of MBA victimization. Further, data derived previously, particularly in relation to perpetration have come from relatively low-risk samples comprising university students, limiting the generalizability of findings to other, at-risk male groups. Thus, the present study assessed the impact of the aforementioned variables as well as personality constructs of impulsivity and narcissism on both the perpetration of and victimization from MBA among a high-risk sample sourced from male members of the Australian construction industry. Method: A purposive sample of Australian male construction workers aged 18 to 69 years (n = 476, M_age = 25.90, SD_age = 9.44) completed individual interviews at their current place of employment or while training at various trade schools in Geelong and Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Items related to past month HED, past year experiences of verbal and physical MBA (perpetration and victimization), trait aggression’s four factors (physical, verbal, anger, hostility), impulsivity, narcissism, male honour and conformity to masculine norms. Results: Participants reported high levels of verbal (24.2%) and physical (21%) MBA perpetration and verbal (33.6%) and physical (31.1%) MBA victimization. Hierarchical binary logistic regression analyses identified HED as the strongest predictor of aggression involvement, while trait physical aggression, trait anger, narcissism and conformity to norms endorsing violence and a need to win were significantly and positively associated with MBA perpetration. Conclusions: The present study reinforces the key relationships between heavy drinking and aspects of personality and MBA, while also highlighting narcissism as a risk factor for barroom aggression perpetration. Indeed, personality profiles and HED appear to exert stronger influences on MBA perpetration than socially constructed masculinity factors, most of which were unrelated to aggression involvement in bars, clubs or pubs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol-Related Violence)

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Alcohol Consumption on Fighting, Shoplifting and Vandalism in Young Adults

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(7), 3509; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073509 - 28 Mar 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2549

Abstract

Experimental studies support the conventional belief that people behave more aggressively whilst under the influence of alcohol. To examine how these experimental findings manifest in real life situations, this study uses a method for estimating evidence for causality with observational data—‘situational decomposition’ to examine the association between alcohol consumption and crime in young adults from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Self-report questionnaires were completed at age 24 years to assess typical alcohol consumption and frequency, participation in fighting, shoplifting and vandalism in the previous year, and whether these crimes were committed under the influence of alcohol. Situational decomposition compares the strength of two associations, (1) the total association between alcohol consumption and crime (sober or intoxicated) versus (2) the association between alcohol consumption and crime committed while sober. There was an association between typical alcohol consumption and total crime for fighting [OR (95% CI): 1.47 (1.29, 1.67)], shoplifting [OR (95% CI): 1.25 (1.12, 1.40)], and vandalism [OR (95% CI): 1.33 (1.12, 1.57)]. The associations for both fighting and shoplifting had a small causal component (with the association for sober crime slightly smaller than the association for total crime). However, the association for vandalism had a larger causal component. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol-Related Violence)

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Review

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Open AccessReview

Examining the Intended and Unintended Impacts of Raising a Minimum Legal Drinking Age on Primary and Secondary Societal Harm and Violence from a Contextual Policy Perspective: A Scoping Review

Ruud T. J. Roodbeen

Rachel I. Dijkstra

Karen Schelleman-Offermans

Roland Friele

and

Dike van de Mheen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(4), 1999; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18041999 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4162

Abstract

Raising a minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) has generated interest and debate in research and politics, but opposition persists. Up to now, the presentation of impacts focussed on effectiveness (i.e., intended impact); to our knowledge, no literature syntheses focussed on both intended and unintended impacts. A systematic scoping review was conducted in which a search strategy was developed iteratively and literature was obtained from experts in alcohol research and scientific and grey databases. Ninety-one studies were extracted and analysed using formative thematic content analysis. Intended impacts were reported in 119 units of information from the studies (68% positive), forming four paths: implementation, primary and (two) on secondary societal harm and violence. Unintended developments were reported in 43 units of information (30% positive), forming five themes. Only eight studies reported on implementation. Furthermore, a division between primary and secondary paths and the use of a bridging variable (drinking patterns in analyses or methodology) was discovered. These results provide an insight into how well legislation works and can be used to discover or implement new means of curbing underage drinking and alcohol-related violence and harm. They also offer valuable starting points for future research and underline the importance of considering unintended developments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alcohol-Related Violence)

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