Understanding the attitudes this population group has towards alcohol is helpful in developing effective health promotion programmes targeting risky alcohol consumption. The Health Promotion Agency’s (HPA’s) Attitudes and Behaviour towards Alcohol Survey (ABAS) monitors New Zealanders’ behaviour and attitudes towards alcohol. This fact sheet reports on attitudes towards alcohol among those aged 15 to 17 years.
Methodology
Participants in the 2013 ABAS were asked about their opinions and attitudes towards drinking culture and drinking behaviour. There were 180 respondents aged 15-17 years in the ABAS. Responses were collected on a five-point scale ranging from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree’. Responses were examined by gender, ethnicity, alcohol consumption status and risky alcohol consumption (five or more drinks on one occasion). When looking at the differences by gender and ethnicity, we have controlled for alcohol consumption status (drinker in the last four weeks, drinker in the last year, nondrinker). This means that we take into account whether or not a respondent consumes alcohol to ensure that any differences found by gender or ethnicity are not in fact due to alcohol consumption status.
Only those group differences that were statistically significant (p < .05) are reported.
Key Results
• Thirty-seven percent of 15 to 17-year-olds agreed that it’s OK to get drunk as long as it’s not everyday. The level of agreement differed by alcohol consumption status.
• Twenty-six percent of respondents agreed that ‘drunkenness’ is acceptable in some situations.
• Twenty-six percent of 15 to 17-year-olds agreed that binge drinking is part of ‘Kiwi’ culture, with those who consumed alcohol in the last four weeks more likely to agree.
• Thirty-nine percent reported they find it hard in some situations to say they are not drinking.