Wood, K., Patterson, C. , Katikireddi, S. V. and Hilton, S. (2014) Harms to ‘others’ from alcohol consumption in the minimum unit pricing policy debate: A qualitative content analysis of UK newspapers (2005-2012). Addiction, 109(4), pp. 578-584. (doi: 10.1111/add.12427)
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Publisher's URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/add.12427
Abstract
<b>Background and aims</b> Minimum unit pricing is a fiscal intervention intended to tackle the social and health harms from alcohol to individual drinkers and wider society. This paper presents the first large-scale qualitative examination of how newsprint media framed the debate around the harms of alcohol consumption to ‘others’ during the development and passing of minimum unit pricing legislation in Scotland.<p></p> <b>Methods</b> Qualitative content analysis was conducted on seven United Kingdom and three Scottish national newspapers between 1January 2005 and 30 June 2012. Relevant articles were identified using the electronic databases Nexis UK and Newsbank. A total of 403 articles focused on the harms of alcohol consumption to ‘others’ and were eligible for detailed coding and analysis.<p></p> <b>Results</b> Alcohol harms to wider society and communities were identified as being a worsening issue increasingly affecting everyone through shared economic costs, social disorder, crime and violence. The availability of cheap alcohol was blamed, alongside a minority of ‘problem’ youth binge drinkers. The harm caused to families was less widely reported.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> If news reporting encourages the public to perceive the harms caused by alcohol to wider society as having reached crisis point, a population based intervention may be deemed necessary and acceptable. However, the current focus in news reports on youth binge drinkers may be masking the wider issue of over-consumption across the broader population.<p></p>
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Katikireddi, Professor Vittal and Wood, Miss Karen and Hilton, Professor Shona and Patterson, Dr Chris |
| Authors: | Wood, K., Patterson, C., Katikireddi, S. V., and Hilton, S. |
| College/School: | College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > MRC/CSO SPHSU College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > General Practice and Primary Care |
| Journal Name: | Addiction |
| Publisher: | Wiley |
| ISSN: | 0965-2140 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1360-0443 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2013 The Authors |
| First Published: | First published in Addiction 109(4):578-584 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced under a Creative Commons License |
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