Elsevier

Health & Place

Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2010, Pages 167-172
Health & Place

Short Report
The socio-spatial distribution of alcohol outlets in Glasgow city

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2009.08.007Get rights and content

Abstract

Aims

The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of alcohol outlets by area deprivation across Glasgow, Scotland.

Methods

All alcohol outlets were mapped and density per 1000 residents and proximity to nearest outlet calculated across quintiles of area deprivation.

Results

The socio-spatial distribution of alcohol outlets varies by deprivation across Glasgow but not systematically. Some deprived areas contain the highest concentration while others in similar deprivation quintiles contain very few.

Conclusions

Considerations of the local context are important in examining access to alcohol but more research is also required on purchasing behaviour.

Introduction

Alcohol is a significant and growing problem in Scotland. Alcohol-related death rates in 2002–2004 for males and females in Scotland were around double the rate for the UK as a whole (Office for National Statistics, 2007). Cirrhosis mortality rates in Scotland are now among the highest in western Europe (Leon and Mccambridge, 2006). At a local level, Glasgow City had the highest alcohol-related death rate among both men and women in the UK in 1998–2004 (Office for National Statistics, 2007). Alcohol-related problems are estimated to cost Scotland over £1 billion every year (Scottish Executive, 2004a).

UK sales of alcohol are rising, in 1995 an average of 9 L of pure alcohol was sold per head of population aged 15 and over in the UK, this had risen to 11 L per head by 2005 (British Beer and Pub Association Statistical Handbook 2007 cited in Catto and Gibbs, 2008). Paradoxically, population surveys conducted during that period suggested a decline in alcohol intake rather than an increase. However, a recent study reported that alcohol intake has been underestimated in UK studies, and currently it is estimated that over a third of male adults and just under a quarter of adult females in Scotland usually consume more that the recommended limit of units per week (Scottish Government, 2008). Among women in Scotland, weekly levels of consumption are highest in women in managerial and professional households; whereas for Scottish men there is no consistent pattern by socioeconomic classification. Binge drinking is also more common in the most deprived areas in Scotland with 46% of men and 34% of women reporting exceeding recommended maximum levels (8 units for men, 6 units for women) in one day (Scottish Executive, 2005).

Alcohol problems occur in all social groups but there is a marked socioeconomic gradient in alcohol-related morbidity. People from the most deprived areas in Scotland are three times more likely to be admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related diagnosis than people from the most affluent areas, while men from the most deprived areas are six times more likely to die from an alcohol-related condition than men from the most affluent areas (Information Services Division, 2007).

Sales from supermarkets and off-licenses now account for nearly half the amount of alcohol sold in the UK (Euromonitor, 2007). Some studies at the city level, mainly North American, have suggested that the density of alcohol outlets may be higher in poorer neighbourhoods (Duncan et al., 2002, Gorman and Speer, 1997; Pollack et al., 2005; Romley et al., 2007). Studies across nations (New Zealand) showed a similar pattern (Hay et al., 2009; Pearce et al., 2008). However, little is known about the extent to which alcohol outlets are more prevalent in deprived areas in the West of Scotland. Living near alcohol outlets might encourage higher intake of alcohol or expose residents to the anti-social behaviour of others who come to buy alcohol (Forsyth et al., 2007; Scribner et al., 1999; Treno et al., 2001). There have been recent calls for a better understanding of the places where problem drinkers and drinking are produced (Holloway et al., 2008; Kneale and French, 2008).

In this study we set out to examine the distribution of alcohol outlets by deprivation across the city of Glasgow, in the West of Scotland. We explore this by a variety of spatial scales (small areas and larger neighbourhoods or localities), as it has been noted that the extent to which area of residence may be important for health may depend on the spatial scale and neighbourhood boundaries used (Flowerdew et al., 2008). This work builds on a programme of research we have been conducting on features of neighbourhoods that might influence health and the ability to lead a healthy life, including access to fast food outlets, supermarkets, shops and recreation facilities (Ellaway et al., 1997, Ellaway et al., 2007; Ellaway and Macintyre, 1996, Ellaway and Macintyre, 2000; Macdonald et al., 2007; Macintyre et al., 2008; Sooman et al., 1993).

Section snippets

Methods

A list of alcohol outlets in Glasgow City with street addresses was obtained from Glasgow City Council in 2006 and unit postcodes were found for every outlet. The list included seven categories of outlet: public houses, off-sales (including supermarkets), private members’ clubs (e.g. social clubs, sports clubs, student unions, etc.), entertainment (e.g. bingo halls, casinos, concert halls, nightclubs, etc.), restaurants, refreshment (café style premises where alcohol may be served with food)

Results

The analysis included 2221 alcohol outlets; 792 pubs, 732 off-sales and 763 other outlets (162 clubs, 227 entertainment outlets, 234 restaurants, 49 refreshment outlets and 91 hotels).

Discussion

Our study has shown that the socio-spatial distribution of alcohol outlets across Glasgow does vary by deprivation but not systematically. Some deprived areas contain the highest concentration while others with a similar deprivation score contain very few. It is therefore important to examine the local context of deprivation. The monolithic social housing schemes on the periphery of Glasgow are not particularly well served with opportunities to buy alcohol in their local area. This may be due

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