Sociology: Public Health Strategies for Preventing Underage Drinking

This essay examines the role of public health administration in addressing underage drinking as a significant societal concern. It highlights the administrative responsibilities of a city manager and proposes feasible strategies to mitigate underage drinking in the absence of substantial state funding for enforcement. These strategies include alcohol counter-advertising, educational programs in community centers and schools, youth alcohol screening programs, and the development of positive social norms. The essay emphasizes the importance of engaging parents, educators, and peers in guiding youth, reducing alcohol availability, and raising awareness among vendors. It concludes that despite financial constraints, a combination of these strategies can effectively reduce underage drinking rates within the community by implementing and overseeing policies.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Public Health Administration
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOCIOLOGY
Introduction- The role of a city manager encompasses responsibility for directing a
plethora of administrative procedures that permit the city to operate in a functional manner.
Discussion- Underage drinking has been identified as a public health issue of global
concern. Regular consumption of alcohol by people who are underage, poses serious safety
and health risks. Time and again it has been proved that underage drinking results in
aggressive behavior, injuries, damage of properties, death, and violence, thus making it a
nationwide concern (Hingson & White, 2014). Owing to the fact that there is lack of financial
backing from the state, for the enforcement of a bill to prevent underage drinking, the most
feasible strategies to be adopted are alcohol counter-advertising, educational programs at
community centers, schools and local organizations, youth alcohol screening programs, and
development of positive social norms (Tanski et al., 2015).
Implementation of counter-advertisements will involve public service announcement
and alcohol warning levels. Encouraging parents, guardians, and educators to develop
positive association with the youth will offer them necessary guidance. The screening
programs will be incorporated in the primary healthcare service, concomitant with addressing
the barriers to treatment. Establishment of healthy norms, involving peer and social influence,
and reducing retail availability of alcoholic beverages will also prove imperative in the
process (Flewelling & Hanley, 2016). Additional strategies would include limiting alcohol
access by underage people at social events, and increasing awareness among alcohol vendors
on the ill effects of underage drinking.
Conclusion- To conclude, the job role focuses on implementation and overseeing of
policies that are crafter by major city councils. Therefore, despite monetary challenges in
implementation of the bill, several strategies can effectively reduce underage drinking rates in
the community.

2SOCIOLOGY
References
Flewelling, R. L., & Hanley, S. M. (2016). Assessing community coalition capacity and its
association with underage drinking prevention effectiveness in the context of the SPF
SIG. Prevention science, 17(7), 830-840.
Hingson, R., & White, A. (2014). New research findings since the 2007 Surgeon General’s
Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A review. Journal of
studies on alcohol and drugs, 75(1), 158-169.
Tanski, S. E., McClure, A. C., Li, Z., Jackson, K., Morgenstern, M., Li, Z., & Sargent, J. D.
(2015). Cued recall of alcohol advertising on television and underage drinking
behavior. JAMA pediatrics, 169(3), 264-271.