Alcohol Reduction Strategy in England: A Health Promotion Report

This report provides a comprehensive overview of alcohol reduction strategies in England, tracing their historical development from the 1970s to the present. It examines key milestones, including the influence of the Ottawa Charter and the Alma Ata declaration, and analyzes the evolution of public health campaigns. The report delves into the design of an alcohol reduction program specifically tailored for the young population in the UK, incorporating harm reduction tactics, parental involvement, and health promotion models like Pender's Health Promotion Model. It also outlines an evaluation strategy for the proposed program, considering stakeholder involvement and communication. The report highlights the Drinkaware campaign, its partnership with Public Health England, and its role in promoting responsible alcohol consumption. The report is designed to offer a detailed understanding of the complexities of alcohol reduction in England and is supported by relevant academic materials.

Health Promotion

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. History of Alcohol reduction strategy in England...................................................................3
2. Designing alcohol reduction plan for young population in the UK.........................................5
3. Evaluation strategy for the alcohol reduction program...........................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................10

1. History of Alcohol reduction strategy in England
The UK has been facing a serious problem of alcohol consumption but the 1970s saw a
beginning in the concerns related to alcohol reduction and health promotions tactics and
strategies. The alcohol policies were always tied to cultural changes since the beginning and
there were efforts to bring cultural change via legislations. Since the beginning the aim of the
licensing legislations, except for regulation of markets in Britain, were focussed on the
prevention of the alcohol disorder. The government has been using the licensing reforms like a
mechanism for civilizing the popular drinking culture in the country. The basic idea that alcohol
poses dangers for the British population emerged in the decade and awareness started happening
through mass media advertisements, television and posters (Mold, 2020). The materials majorly
focussed on showcasing the risks that are associated with excessive drinking like the liver
damage, drunkenness, hangovers and neglecting the children. The health promotion tactics and
materials were mainly aimed at reaching out to the heavy drinkers or alcoholics. The language
was not very explicit but this started changing overtime. In 1972, the report of the departmental
committee on licensing which is also known as the Erroll report argues that only extreme legal
interventions can have a major impact on the reduction of alcohol consumption. But no major
steps were taken in this as the report concluded that majority of the drinkers consumed
moderately and should not be the subject to unnecessary alcohol based legislative interreferences
and that they have independence in drinking as a part of their choice (Hawkins and
McCambridge, 2020).
The concerns of alcohol abuse started rising since 1980s in the UK, when the major
milestone that was achieved in terms of reduction in alcohol usage was the establishment of
Alcohol change UK. The registered charity and campaign group was founded in 1984 with the
aim of reducing harms due to alcohol consumption. One of the most popular awareness programs
that the campaign group spread are Dry January and Alcohol awareness week. By the late 1980s,
majority of the alcohol awareness campaigns aimed at all the drinkers instead of alcoholics and
the fostering of the sensible drinking and consumption within the safe limits started. The risks
and the framing of excessive alcohol consumption started out as health problem when in the
individuals in various parts across Europe started developing specific diseases such as high
cholesterol, high blood pressure and liver issues (Barata and et.al., 2017).
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The heavy promotion of the sensible or moderation in alcohol consumption started
becoming a primary feature in the health educational and alcohol polices in the 1990s. Health
campaigns like “Take it easy when you are drinking at home” and “its easy to get carried away
while you are drinking at home” started launching in 1990s. by 2000s, National health strategy
was started by the government which encompassed alcohol reduction benefits. By 2012, the UK
government launched a National Alcohol strategy which set out polices like banning the scale at
which multi discount sale of alcohol happened, the instilling of zero tolerance for alcohol
consumption or drunken behaviour in A&E organisations, empowering the ability to strop
serving alcohol to drunks, a late-night charge for going to pubs or clubs and helping for the
payment of policing. The entire plan was aimed at the reduction of the binge drinking and for
moving the crime rates down along with tackling the health issues (Roerecke and et.al., 2017).
The Ottawa charter for the health promotion that occurred in 1986 was an international
health promotion campaign which was a major response to the rising expectations of health
movements globally. Promoting wellness is the method of allowing individuals to increase
control over and enhance their health. A person or community must be able to recognize and
realize goals, to meet needs, and to alter or cope with the environment in order to reach a state of
full physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, wellness is seen as a resource for daily
life, not the purpose of living. Health is a positive philosophy that emphasizes both social and
personal wealth and physical capabilities. As a result, health promotion is not only the
responsibility of the health sector, but also applies to well-being beyond safe lifestyles. Post
International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, September 1978, stressing the
requirement for immediate national actions for protection and the promotion of the health of all,
determining that it as a fundamental human right and that the achievement of the maximum level
of health is the most important social aim in the world, the accomplishment of which includes
the action of the various sectors (Thompson, Watson and Tilford, 2018).
The Drinkaware campaign is a major alcohol reduction campaign and an educational
charity that encourages the middle-aged population of the UK to use up more drink free days as a
tool to help reduce the alcohol intake. The public health of England has partnered up with the
Drinkaware to reduce dangerous effects of the alcohol. This has been indeed a new type of
partnership and relationship with the alcohol industry. PHE's campaigns have a long track record
of fostering behavioral change and helping people use digital resources to take action. About 9
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million visits to the Drinkaware website occur per year. We will harness this comprehensive
scope to the main audiences by partnering with them.
Although many people drink at lower risk levels, 10.8 million English adults drink at
levels that pose a risk to their health in England (1 in 5 women and 1 in 3 men). Many
individuals are unaware that they are drinking above the lower risk levels and others are
unconcerned with their alcohol consumption. The message for reducing the risks can be done via
drinking less and also having more regular drink free days every week is part of the campaign
One You healthier behaviours, which is a simple and appealing message for individuals who
enjoy drinking and work for them rather than becoming patronising (Petticrew and et.al., 2020).
2. Designing alcohol reduction plan for young population in the UK
Health promotion programs that aim at alcohol reduction help in instilling the sense of
the wrong actions and harmful effects that the excessive alcohol consumption has on the people.
In England various alcohol reduction strategies have taken place such as Drinkaware programs in
partnership with the Public health organisations, the government led national alcohol strategy,
rehabilitation centres and even promotion of group therapies have successfully helped in
reduction of alcohol abuse among the population. Harm reduction can be used successfully as an
alcohol reduction strategy which was initially created to counter the adverse impact of illicit
drugs and was later applied to the alcohol prevention programs (Reynolds and et.al., 2019). The
use of harm reduction in alcohol based programs aims at the reduction of the harmful effects tat
have been cause by the excessive intoxication, this mainly includes the use of such material in
public places like pubs which does make it harmful for other people, like using glass that breaks
into fine particles rather than sharp cut pieces which can be very helpful in prevention of fights
in the area. Also, the checking of alcohol level in the blood while a person comes to the job or
checking the alcohol in people while driving. The Public health in the UK advocates the usage of
alcohol control measures and various restrictions to reduce the effects of alcohol. These
primarily includes restrictions on extent of monopolisation in the alcohol trade, regulations with
licensing, off premise sales outlets, restriction in the age of drinking, banning drinking in certain
public places etc (Kelly and et.al., 2018). Also practices like ban of prescriptions that are against
the sale of intoxicated patrons, limitations in the advertisements and the sponsorships, criminal
penalties, hefty taxes of alcohol. in terms of alcohol prevention and reduction, the elements like
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drinking under supervision, ingesting less quantities, keeping track of the drinking habits, non
drinking in the morning or on an empty stomach, whenever thirsty quenching the thirst with
either water or soft drinks, sipping the drink slowly, taking simultaneous breaks in between,
purchasing low alcohol content based alternatives etc. the best alcohol program for 16 to 25 year
old age group would be a mix of harm reduction tactics and alcohol abuse preventions tactics as
mentioned above. The important on parent supportiveness has to be considered and skills
training can be imparted. The important of parent child communication, higher involvement,
monitoring and supervision and to instil the notion that alcohol is wrong is very necessary and
the moderation has to be prioritized. The discussion regarding the enforcement of family policies
on the substance abuse or misuse has to be addressed in the young adults. This program includes
protective measures like discipline, nurture, support, school involvement, contingent parent,
better relationships, management of excessive stress and the thing that trigger alcohol use as well
as sills to deal with the peer pressure during the substance abuse by teaching them how to refuse
(Rosenberg and et.al., 2018).
There are various health promotion models that have a positive dynamic state instead of
the simple absence of disease. The health promotion model is aimed at not only to reduce the
alcohol consumption but also to increase the level of well being in patients. It encompasses a
multidimensional nature of people as they tend to interact with their environment in order to
pursue health. The Pender’s model of health promotion focusses on three areas the personal
characteristics and the experiences of individuals, the behaviour specific cognitions and the
affects of it as well as the behavioural outcomes. The health promotion of behaviour is the
desired result in the entire activity, and the behaviour of individual should result in enhanced
health, better functional ability, and higher quality of life (Kamal Mirkarimi and et.al., 2018). As
per the model, the alcohol reduction program designed would help in the aim to get behavioural
outcomes through mixed approaches like monitoring by parents which lead to changes in
behaviours over a long period of time or harm reduction polices like drinking restrained
campaigns. Also, the model promotes individuals to seek their alcohol intake regularly and
regulate their own behaviour, interact with the env around them like better communication with
the parents and not indulging in peer pressures associated activities. Moreover, the alcohol
reduction program focusses on the self-initiated reconfiguration of an individual and the gradual
changes in their person environment interactive patterns which are necessary for change in the
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behaviour and reduction of alcohol abuse. Other models would not be associated with this
program as they focus more on prevention and are not highly relevant for any changes in gradual
behavioural changes which the program is aiming towards (Dabravolskaj and et.al., 2020).
When it comes to stakeholders, the people that will be directly influenced by the implementation
of the alcohol reduction program are the parents of the targeted age group, the community and
the neighbourhood, the school or the workplace where the young adults work or study etc. the
parents has a primary signification in communicating the program to their children and
improving their relationships and communication to impart the effectiveness of the alcohol
reduction program. Also the teachers, the workplaces or management pf the targeted group
should employ the alcohol reduction program in their organisation or institute and keep
promoting the program through interactive communication strategies, rules, norms and
regulations. In order to communicate with all these stakeholders, a periodically scheduled
meeting can be held where all the stakeholders can give their insights on the progress of the
program (Reynolds and et.al., 2019). Also this can be done through virtual methods like online
calls and groups can be created where the institutions, workplaces and parents are a member of
the stakeholder based group. Also various training programs can be conducted to impart the
necessary skills and know to all the stakeholders in the alcohol reduction program and give them
details on how to promote and monitor the drinking habits in their students, children and
employees. The major goals, the scope for engagement has to be designed and a formal structure
for the stakeholder group can be created. The important of their participation has to be conveyed
to all of them in the successful implementation of the health promotion program (Burton and
et.al., 2017).
3. Evaluation strategy for the alcohol reduction program
In order to measure the program for the purpose of alcohol reduction in the young adults
aged 16 to 25, especially the ones who drink excessive amounts of alcohol generally above the
recommended quantity and get drunk or promote bad behaviour in public as an aftereffect of the
alcohol intake, relevant evaluation process has to be put forth. The campaign has involved
various strategies for health promotion but the actual impact they have is necessary to evaluate as
the results would help in understanding the relevance of the health promotion strategies and the
required changes that have to be made. SMART objectives have to me created and on the basis
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of the goals of the campaign, relevant campaign strategies have to be implemented. The SMART
objective for this strategy would be reduction in the excessive drinking in the age group of 16 to
25 years by 20% within 6 months. Another objective designed is reduction in alcohol abuse by
16 to 25 years age group people within a year in the local authority (Aasmul, Husebo and Flo,
2018). These objectives would lead to implementation of the alcohol reduction program in the
local regions by awareness campaigns, involving stakeholders, making people aware about the
harmful medical and social effects of high alcohol intake, offering rehabilitation and therapies
etc. The evaluation of the success and progress of the program can be done through various
methods, framework and designs. Every framework applies different approach for the purpose of
the assessment, collection of data and measurement. The primary methods of evaluation are
formative evaluation, process evaluation, outcome evaluation and impact evaluation. In
formative evaluation, the assessment happens at the time of implementation and development
(Akintobi and et.al., 2018). This framework offers details on how to attain the basic program
goals and the ways in which the alcohol reduction program can be updated. The process
evaluation can be considered the type of formative evaluation which conducts the primary role of
assessment of the type, quality and quantity of the services or activities of the program. The
outcome evaluation process can be used when the focus of the evaluation has to be given on the
term of the objectives such as the short term objectives and the long term objectives, proper
measures are taken for the demonstration of changes in the health conditions of the young adults
in respect to the behaviour and the quality of their life. The impact evaluation process is a
framework by which the alcohol reduction program’s impact on the young adults will be
assessed. The right measures which include a shift in the awareness about alcohol consumption,
the behaviour, the attitude and the know or skills will be the target indicators of the progress and
changes. In this alcohol reduction program, the process based evaluation will be adopted as this
method will be highly appropriate in terms of reaching the SMART objectives of the program.
This specific type of evaluation measures the process of the program and the quality of the
implementation style. The primary focus will be on who the program is reaching out to, which
the target age group of 16 to 25 year old people and the manner in which their alcohol
consumption and the behaviour post consumption can be mitigated and controlled (Ludvik,
2018). This will be done primarily through questions about the reaching out of the alcohol
reduction program to the targeted group and if all the methods and activities that were conducted
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reached all the parts of the target group or not. Also, the evaluation will be based on if the
stakeholders involved at the local authority and the majority of the participants were satisfied
with all the primary aspects of the project. Also question of the activities and the health
promotion strategies being implemented as intended and if not, the major reasons associated with
it. Also what if changes are made to the intended activities and if the information, materials and
the presentations tend to be suitable for the target audience. Overall, this framework focusses on
how successfully the various strategies that were laid out in the alcohol reduction program were
implemented and practiced. The entire model focuses on the inputs, the activities and the outputs
and the manner in which all the three work together rather than just focussing on the outcomes.
In this evaluation method, the lack of or the failure in the implementation process is considered
as the reason for the failure in attaining the objectives. However, there are certain limitations to
the process based evaluation such as the prime focus of on the practice and the results are not
really focussed on. There are many ways through which the outcomes when focussed ca be
attained with out major changes in the implementation. Also, there can be various unknown
factors that might have been responsible for the failure in getting the results such as the risks of
costs, natural calamities, the extent of health promotion program, the shift in the culture or trend
or mindsets of the people, upgradation of technology etc. Also, various other reasons can be
attributed to the failure in getting the outcomes like the abuse or addiction level in the adults,
other factors like depression or issues forcing the people to consume alcohol, stress, improper or
poor relationships with the stakeholders like the parents, the friends etc. In such case the process
based evaluation will not be able to assess the other variable factors that could be primality
responsible for being hindrances in the attainment of the objectives (Michie and et.al., 2017).
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References
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