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University of the West of England(西英格兰大学)
所在地区:英格兰所在城市:BristolTIMES排名:60
一键免费快速申请文章正文综述详细专业照片新闻校友录已获Offer学生资料UWE researchers call for new approach to curb pub violence and reduce heavy drinking UWE researchers call for new approach to curb pub violence and reduce heavy drinkingThe findings of a comprehensive review by University of the West of England researchers Professors Martin Plant and Moira Plant and psychologist, Joanna Green concerning risk factors in public bars have just been released. These have been published in the Journal of Substance Use, together with an editorial advocating more effective policies to curb alcohol-related violence and other problems.
Professors Martin Plant and Moira Plant and psychologist Ms Joanna Green write as follows:
“Bars, inns, taverns and hotels have been popular settings for recreational alcohol consumption for centuries. The bar is firmly established as an important adjunct of leisure in many societies. Alcohol consumption in bars is mainly convivial, restrained and problem-free. Even so it has long been apparent that heavy drinking in bars is associated with aggression, violence, public disorder and injuries. Our review examines published international evidence related to the possibility that problematic behaviours are associated with identifiable characteristics of a bar. It is concluded that evidence suggests that a number of factors are associated with elevated risks that a bar will be a focus for problematic behaviour. These risk factors are considered under the following main headings: internal physical characteristics and atmosphere (e.g. layout, crowding), organisational factors (e.g. beverage promotions, entertainment), patron characteristics (e.g. gender, age), beverage choice and external characteristics (e.g. location, density). It is concluded that the type of evidence presented here should be taken into account when reviewing licensing arrangements, designing bars and planning the location, type and density of bars in any locality where such establishments are situated.
“Many towns and cites have been developed to create clusters of late opening bars and clubs. These are a all too often a focus for heavy drinking and public disorder. The result of this is that many people regard these urban centres as 'no go areas' after dark. There is sufficient hard evidence to guide the design and organisation of bars and other licensed premises. This promises to aid in the reduction of heavy drinking, aggression, violence, crime and alcohol-impaired driving. The most obvious value of evidence on the layout and characteristics within the bar relates to the design of new bars and the modification of existing premises. The maximum effect of basing policy on the evidence of which factors should be avoided depends upon bar owners and managers being motivated (or compelled) to adopt safety and social responsibility their main goals, rather than simply raising profits. Moreover, local authorities have a major role to play in limiting the numbers of licensed premises in their areas, as well as their location and density in specific localities such as town centres. It is emphasised that harm minimisation strategies that are effective must be sustained for the long-term. Finally, harm minimisation is only likely to be really effective if alcohol's price and availability are restrained.”
Martin Plant (Professor of Addiction Studies at UWE) comments: “The UK's level of alcohol-related deaths reflects the general level of alcohol consumption. 'This in turn is influenced by the price of alcohol. The latter has been becoming more and more affordable for many years. Using tax to reverse this trend would almost certainly reduce the problems associated with heavy drinking, including public disorder and premature deaths. The overwhelming majority of scientists agree about this, but many people are unaware of this fact. The public and politicians really need to be given more and better information about which policies would really reduce our huge national problem with alcohol. It is useless relying on media campaigns and alcohol education. These really do not change to way that people drink.”
