Scoping and Feasibility Study to Develop and Apply a Methodology for Retrospective Adjustment of Alcohol Consumption Data

Abstract

Aims and methodsA scoping and feasibility study was commissioned by the Department of Health through the Public Health Research Consortium (http://phrc.lshtm.ac.uk/) to research, develop and apply a methodology that allows for retrospective adjustment of alcohol consumption trend data in England, to take account of changes over time in glass sizes and shape and alcohol strength.The objectives of the study were to:a) Review available research and other evidence to map key changes in alcohol strength, standard measures, glass size and shape since 1990;b) Interview key stakeholders to establish relevant assumptions and to inform the mapping exercise;c) Develop a robust formula/formulae for use in retrospective adjustment of official data;d) Apply the formula/formulae to official data on a selective basis; ande) Report the results and discuss implications for a full-scale study.Part 1 of the report describes the methods and findings from the mapping element of the study (objectives a and b), while Part 2 describes the development of the methodology for retrospective adjustments of existing survey data, and their implications for estimates at two data points, 1995 and 2000, and further considers the implications for a full-scale study (objectives c to e).FindingsThis report has identified key changes in alcohol strength, standard measures, glass size and shape since 1990, focusing primarily on changes relating to beer, wine and cider. It has then used this evidence to estimate the actual alcoholic strength of beer (including shandy and cider) and winebetween 1990 and 2005, and - in the case of wine - changes in the average glass size, and to examine the implications for retrospective adjustment of alcohol consumption survey data over the period.