Reducing harm in drinking environments: a systematic review of effective approaches

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Alcohol Research
• Environmental Interventions

Background:

• Drinking environments (bars, nightclubs) are linked to significant acute alcohol-related harms.
• Effective strategies to mitigate these harms within these settings are crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the effectiveness of interventions in drinking environments aimed at reducing alcohol use and associated harms.
• To identify successful intervention strategies and highlight limitations in current research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of studies evaluating interventions in drinking environments.
• Analysis of intervention components including community mobilization, responsible beverage service (RBS) training, house policies, and licensing law enforcement.

Main Results:

• Methodological limitations were present in many included studies.
• Three studies suggested multicomponent programs (community mobilization, RBS training, house policies, stricter licensing enforcement) may reduce assaults, traffic crashes, and underage sales.
• The effectiveness of other intervention approaches was generally limited.

Conclusions:

• Multicomponent interventions in drinking environments show potential for reducing alcohol-related harms.
• Future research requires robust study designs to validate intervention effectiveness.
• Targeted interventions may yield specific positive outcomes, such as reduced assaults or underage sales.