Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships
University of Victoria (British Columbia)
$105,000.00
A population health-based evaluation of alcohol policy reform in British Columbia: The effect of recent policy change on per capita alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable hospitalization rates and alcohol-attributable mortality rates
FY 2015-16
Summary
The British Columbia Ministry of Justice recently released "B.C. Liquor Policy Review," a comprehensive review of alcohol policy in B.C. This report puts forth 73 recommendations with two main themes: (1) increasing the accessibility of alcohol (e.g. permitting the sale of wine in grocery stores) and (2) raising minimum prices per standard unit of alcohol. These recommendations are currently being phased in and will be completed by 2016. Previous studies have shown that accessibility and pricing have significant impacts on public health.
This program of research, completed in partnership with the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. (CARBC), will evaluate these policy changes by quantifying the effect on per capita alcohol consumption, alcohol-related hospitalizations and alcohol-related deaths. Will implementing policies to increase alcohol accessibility result in higher per capita alcohol consumption? Will this higher consumption lead to an increase in the number and severity of adverse public health effects such as hospitalizations and deaths? Or will an increase in pricing levels counteract this change in accessibility?
The effect on sales and consumption will be analyzed using detailed sales data, acquired annually by CARBC, reported by type of alcohol and type of selling establishment. Time series methods will be employed to detect trends in per capita consumption with respect to the implementation of these policies. Further, the effect of policy change on healthcare utilization and disease burden will be quantified. Hospitalization and mortality data will be acquired from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and will be used to analyze trends in alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.
This proposed research will provide answers to important questions regarding recent alcohol policy changes in B.C. The results will be both relevant and timely, providing critical information to policy makers on the effectiveness and consequences of these changes.
Department
Program
Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Type
Grant
Source
CIHR Funding Decisions Database
As published
Id
347894
Name
Sherk Adam N
Region
British Columbia
Country
Canada
Orgtype
Institution Paid; Research Institution
Instname2
Population and Public Health
Theme2
Social / Cultural / Environmental / Population Health
Prcname2
Doctoral Research Awards - B
Projecttitle
A population health-based evaluation of alcohol policy reform in British Columbia: The effect of recent policy change on per capita alcohol consumption, alcohol-attributable hospitalization rates and alcohol-attributable mortality rates
Programtype2
Studentship Programs
Orgnameinp2
University of Victoria (British Columbia)
Cihramount2
$105,000
Cihrequipment2
$0
Programname2
Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships
Keyworddelim
Alcohol Policy Evaluation; Alcohol-Attributable Hospitalizations And Mortalities; Epidemiological Study; Health Services And Policy Research; Healthy Public Policy; Mental Health And Addictions Research; Population Health; Prevention/Reduction Of Harmful Substance Use; Quantitative Methods; Time Series Analysis
Abstract
The British Columbia Ministry of Justice recently released "B.C. Liquor Policy Review," a comprehensive review of alcohol policy in B.C. This report puts forth 73 recommendations with two main themes: (1) increasing the accessibility of alcohol (e.g. permitting the sale of wine in grocery stores) and (2) raising minimum prices per standard unit of alcohol. These recommendations are currently being phased in and will be completed by 2016. Previous studies have shown that accessibility and pricing have significant impacts on public health.
This program of research, completed in partnership with the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. (CARBC), will evaluate these policy changes by quantifying the effect on per capita alcohol consumption, alcohol-related hospitalizations and alcohol-related deaths. Will implementing policies to increase alcohol accessibility result in higher per capita alcohol consumption? Will this higher consumption lead to an increase in the number and severity of adverse public health effects such as hospitalizations and deaths? Or will an increase in pricing levels counteract this change in accessibility?
The effect on sales and consumption will be analyzed using detailed sales data, acquired annually by CARBC, reported by type of alcohol and type of selling establishment. Time series methods will be employed to detect trends in per capita consumption with respect to the implementation of these policies. Further, the effect of policy change on healthcare utilization and disease burden will be quantified. Hospitalization and mortality data will be acquired from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and will be used to analyze trends in alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.
This proposed research will provide answers to important questions regarding recent alcohol policy changes in B.C. The results will be both relevant and timely, providing critical information to policy makers on the effectiveness and consequences of these changes.
Competitiondate
201510
Approvedterm2
3 yrs 0 mth
Pinamesdelim
Sherk, Adam N
Approvedterm
3 ans 0 mois
Cihrcontribution2
~ $105,000~ $0~
