Does distance and density of alcohol retailers influence adolescent alcohol use behavior? Findings from a high school student sample in California

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Authors: Xiao Zhang, Nazar Makadsi, Kenny Hernandez, Christopher Rogers, Steven Graves, Myriam Forster

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Alcohol is the most commonly used substance by youth. Home addresses in an adolescent health study (N=705) were merged with spatial data on alcohol retailers, GLMs tested relationships between distance from home to the nearest retailer (< 800 meters), retailer density (number of retailers within 2.5km2) and alcohol use behaviors. 23% reported alcohol use, 15% were early initiators (before age 15), and 25% had binge drank. Distance to retailer and retailer density were significantly associated with the most dangerous type of consumption, binge drinking, adjusting for demographics and parent alcohol use history. Youth who lived over 800 meters from a retailer had lower odds of binge drinking (AOR:0.4, 95% CI:0.2, 0.9), while greater retailer density was associated with higher odds of binge drinking (AOR:1.4, 95%CI:1.1, 1.9). Findings highlight that policies regulating distance and density of retailers near residential and educational settings could limit dangerous underage alcohol use.