Alcohol availability, drinking contexts and drinking problems: the Iowa experience

Before/after survey data were used to investigate the effects that a wine and spirits privatization-induced increase in alcohol availability might have had on drinking contexts and, in turn, what effect any context changes might have had on specific drinking-related troubles. State surveys representing the aged 18+ noninstitutionalized population of Iowa were conducted in 1985, prior to the wine privatization; in 1986, after the wine privatization but before the spirits privatization; and in 1989, after both wine and spirits sales had been privatized. Despite substantial increases in the number of off-premise outlets for bottled wine and spirits following their privatizations, there was little or no change in the frequency of drinking in several different contexts or in the specific kinds of drinking-related problems studied.