Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
Introduction: Underage drinking can have profoundly negative impacts on childhood development. This study compares 4 categories of known underage drinking risk factors with alcohol consumption. The social indicators in these categories will be compared in the 10 most-at-risk (MAR) counties and the 10 least-at-risk (LAR) counties identified in Georgia.
Methods: Independent 2-tailed t-tests were conducted to compare group means among MAR and LAR counties for all identified risk factors.
Results: Significant differences were observed in all factors included in the poverty and alcohol outlet density categories.
Discussion. The findings underscore the importance of better understanding youth drinking, poverty, and alcohol outlet density. However, our findings, supported by previous individual and aggregated level research, support strategies for researchers and policy makers to more proactively respond to poverty-stricken and high-density alcohol outlet indicators. The current ecological evaluation of underage drinking risk assessed on a macrolevel offers insights into the demographic features, social structures, and cultural patterns of counties that potentially predispose youth to greater health risks specifically associated with underage drinking.
Recommended Citation
O'Quin, K.E., Strasser, S.M., & Swahn, M.H. (2011). A Macrolevel Examination of County-Level Risk Factors for Underage Drinking Prevention: Intervention Opportunities to Protect Youth in the State of Georgia. Child Development Research, Article ID 982525, 1-6. doi: 10.1155/2011/982525
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Comments
This article was originally published in Child Development Research and is reposted here with the permission of the author. Copyright © 2011 Karen E. O'Quin, Sheryl M. Strasser, and Monica H. Swahn. This is an open access article distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.