Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility / Edition 1

by Institute of Medicine, National Research Council, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Committee on Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage Drinking

Overview

Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous - both to themselves and society at large. Underage alcohol use is associated with traffic fatalities, violence, unsafe sex, suicide, educational failure, and other problem behaviors that diminish the prospects of future success, as well as health risks — and the earlier teens start drinking, the greater the danger. Despite these serious concerns, the media continues to make drinking look attractive to youth, and it remains possible and even easy for teenagers to get access to alcohol.

Why is this dangerous behavior so pervasive? What can be done to prevent it? What will work and who is responsible for making sure it happens? Reducing Underage Drinking addresses these questions and proposes a new way to combat underage alcohol use. It explores the ways in which may different individuals and groups contribute to the problem and how they can be enlisted to prevent it. Reducing Underage Drinking will serve as both a game plan and a call to arms for anyone with an investment in youth health and safety.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780309089357
Publisher:	National Academies Press
Publication date:	03/26/2004
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	760
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

	Preface	xv
	Executive Summary	1
1	Introduction: The Challenge	13
Part I	Underage Drinking in the United States
2	Characteristics of Underage Drinking	35
3	Consequences of Underage Drinking	58
4	Understanding Youth Drinking	70
Part II	The Strategy
5	Designing the Strategy	89
6	National Media Campaign	108
7	Alcohol Industry	125
8	Entertainment Industries	145
9	Access	158
10	Youth-Oriented Interventions	185
11	Communities	216
12	Federal and State Governments	232
	References	250
	Appendixes
A	Statement of Task	283
B	Agenda and Participants, October 10-11, 2002 Public Workshop	284
C	Agenda and Participants, November 18, 2002 Open Committee Meeting and Public Forum	289
D	Other Public Contributors	292
E	Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff	296
	Index	303
	Background Papers
1	The Epidemiology of Underage Drinking in the United States: An Overview	319
2	Social, Health, and Economic Consequences of Underage Drinking	351
3	Health Consequences of Adolescent Alcohol Involvement	383
4	Developmental and Environmental Influences on Underage Drinking: A General Overview	402
5	Perceptions of Risk and Social Judgments: Biases and Motivational Factors	417
6	Alcohol Use and Misuse: Prevention Strategies with Minors	437
7	Supply Side Approaches to Reducing Underage Drinking: An Assessment of the Scientific Evidence	458
8	Effectiveness of Sanctions and Law Enforcement Practices Targeted at Underage Drinking Not Involving Operation of a Motor Vehicle	490
9	The Effects of Price on Alcohol Use, Abuse, and Their Consequences	541
10	Media Intervention Impact: Evidence and Promising Strategies	565
11	Alcohol in the Media: Drinking Portrayals, Alcohol Advertising, and Alcohol Consumption Among Youth	597
12	Alcohol Advertising and Promotion	625
13	Drinking and Coming of Age in a Cross-Cultural Perspective	654
14	Preventing Underage Drinking in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities: Contexts, Epidemiology, and Culture	678
15	Teen Treatment: Addressing Alcohol Problems Among Adolescents	697
16	Youth Smoking Prevention Policy: Lessons Learned and Continuing Challenges	716

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Michael Wasserman, MD (Ochsner Clinic Foundation)
Description: This is a summary of a 2002 conference on the global approach to diminishing adolescent drinking. It includes a CD-ROM of background papers.
Purpose: The book demonstrates the importance of the stated mission. Then it lays out a strategy to implement a national program to lessen youth drinking by targeting key players such as the alcohol industry, media, government, and local communities. The objectives are met when one considers that the book has a national perspective.
Audience: It is written for those interested in impacting public policy, such as members of the public health community, government officials, and political advocates. It would be useful to practitioners who are interested in organizing community resources to solve community problems. Methods applicable to addressing underage drinking can be used for other public issues such as smoking, violence prevention, etc. The authors are an array of physicians, behavioral scientists, and political scientists. Their backgrounds are appropriate and extensive.
Features: The best aspect of the book is that the methodology outlined is applicable to this problem as well as other social phenomena. As a committee writes it, the prose is somewhat dry, but still represents an authoritative report.
Assessment: This book is useful as a tool to motivate practitioners who might want to become involved in solving community problems in contrast to caring for individual patients.

Doody's Review Service

3 Stars from Doody