Interest in alcohol control study spreads to Asia

Plans to introduce an international alcohol control study to parts of Asia gather momentum this week at a working meeting with visiting researchers from Korea, Mongolia and Thailand, led by Massey University’s School of Public Health alcohol researcher Professor Sally Casswell.

The International Alcohol Control study, which is modelled on the International Tobacco Control study, has been designed and implemented in New Zealand by researchers at the SHORE and Whariki Research Centre, including Professor Casswell, and funded by the Alcohol Advisory Council.

The purpose of the two-day workshop, which starts on Tuesday at the Auckland-based centre, is to evaluate the effects of changes in alcohol policy. Professor Casswell says for the first time it provides a comprehensive overview of key issues such as how alcohol is obtained, where and when it is purchased, how much is paid and exposure of respondents to alcohol marketing.

“This is an important project internationally as well as domestically,” she says.

“It aims to provide usable tools for countries without long histories of alcohol research in order to provide evidence for policy makers on what policy changes will make a difference and to help assess if changes do have the predicted impacts.”

Guests at the workshop also include a representative from the Western Pacific Regional Office of the World Health Organisation.