This report presents the results of a survey of New Zealanders, 12 years of age and older, conducted in March and April 2005. Commissioned by the Alcohol Advisory Council, it was specifically undertaken in order to identify and segment the current attitudes (motivators and inhibitors) and behaviours of New Zealanders towards the consumption of alcohol.
The current survey also updates a similar segmentation study conducted between June and September 2003, following the launch of the first stage of a significant communications campaign in March 2005, designed to help positively influence attitudes and behaviours with regard to New Zealand’s risky drinking culture, particularly as it relates to raising awareness that risky drinking is endemic in New Zealand and not necessarily “somebody else’s problem” (alternatively, “not my problem”).
Methodology
This survey was completed between 8 March and 11 April 2005, with two specific population groups:
1. A nationally representative sample of n=628 young people, aged between 12 and 17. Results based on this total sample of young people are subject to a maximum margin of error of ±4.3% (at the 95% confidence level).
2. A nationally representative sample of n=659 adults aged 18+. Results based on the total sample of adults are subject to a maximum margin of error of ±5.5% (at the 95% confidence level).
Young people were defined as being between the ages of 12 and 17. This was chosen on the basis that the minimum legal age for purchasing alcohol or being on licensed premises without parental supervision is 18 years. Twelve (12) was selected as the lower end of the range on the basis that earlier work had suggested that the very young were, in some cases, also regularly consuming alcohol.
Respondents were selected on the basis that ALAC’s priority ethnic groups – Māori and Pacific people, in addition to people of "other" ethnic groups (mostly Pakeha European) were sufficiently represented. This deliberate over-sampling of Māori and Pacific people was undertaken in order to ensure a sufficient number of Māori and Pacific people were interviewed to allow for their results to be examined with a reasonable degree of confidence. Results have been weighted in terms of ethnicity, as well as age and gender, to 2001 Census benchmarks.
The development of the survey questionnaire was informed as a result of a comprehensive search of the literature and an in-depth qualitative research stage of research. The questionnaire and associated methodological approach were also subjected to a thorough piloting or pre-testing phase.
All interviewing was completed by telephone, from BRC’s CATI-enabled call centre. Telephone interviewing was selected as the most cost-effective approach, based on our experience with both the 2003 Way We Drink study, and previous ALAC Youth Drinking Monitors that have now been conducted successfully for over five years. Once randomly selected, up to five attempts were made to contact and interview a given respondent, before they were substituted with another respondent.
The final response rate for young people was 28%, and for adults 17%. Our calculation method is an internationally recognised standard, approved by the American Association of Public Opinion Researchers.
Most of the non-response can be accounted for in terms of respondents who did not qualify for an interview on the basis of not meeting selection criteria (i.e. age, gender and ethnicity sub-groups we were required to represent), as opposed to outright refusal.