www.alkoholpolitik.ch

On 22 November, top international researchers, EU policy makers and consumer advocates are gathering in Brussels for the conference „Behavioural Economics: So What? Should Policy Makers Care“. A major pilot study on consumer decision-making in retail investment serviceswill be presented and will feed into the debate.
The conference looks at possible concrete applications of behavioural consumer research in testing, optimising and streamlining consumer policies.
The key questions to be tackled include: *
– What behavioural economics call tell us about consumers that economic models or surveys cannot?
– Are there relevant examples where the behavioural approach has significantly improved the effectiveness of policy
measures
– Which key factors influence consumer decisions?
The Behavioural Economics conference can be followed live via web streaming from the conference site. The site also
includes the detailed programme of the conference sessions and the press programme.

The STAP conference on Alcohol and Health took place on the 23rd of September. It was an inspiring and informative day! Please find the speakers‘ presentations at www.stap.nl/nl/nieuws/presentaties.html

Report shows Girls drink to relieve stress and worries, while boys look for fun.
New data released today from the Partnership for a Drug Free America suggest that not only are girls now drinking more than boys, they turn to drugs and alcohol for more serious reasons as well. The report, which analyzed results from the 2009 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), a survey of teen attitudes and behaviors, shows that the number of middle- and high-school girls who say they drink has increased by 11 percent in the past year, from 53 percent to 59 percent. Boys have stayed at about the same level, hovering around 52 percent. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 7/2/10) newsweek.com, 6/29/10

United States Public Health Foundation Adopts Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice unanimously adopted a new set of Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals.
United State Public Health Foundation website: http://www.phf.org/
List of competencies available online at:
These competencies can be used by you and your organization to help guide public health workforce development efforts that are vital for achieving high-performing public health organizations to protect and
promote the public’s health.

31 May 2010 – 04 June 2010
Organizer: Research department Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems, Av. Ruchonnet 14, PO Box 870, 1001 Lausanne – Location: Lausanne (CH)
The primary purpose of the symposium is to provide a forum where researchers involved in studies on alcohol can exchange ideas about their ongoing research. The scope of the symposium includes studies of determinants and consequences of drinking, drinking practices, attitudes and the social and institutional responses to drinking related harms. Empirical research, theoretical papers and reviews of the literature are welcome. Epidemiology is broadly construed and includes research in a variety of disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, criminology, economics, history and other disciplines. (Source: Sucht Info Schweiz)

Seminar on Youth drinking and binge drinking, 25 February 2010 – Summary report and presentations available. Released: 31 March 2010

This conference provides an overview of the state-of-the-art scientific knowledge about the effects of alcohol on physical health. Leading international scientists will elaborate on their findings regarding the effects of alcohol on heart, brains and liver and the relation of alcohol and cancer. Furthermore, the public message with respect to alcohol and health will be discussed.
Start: Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010; Organisation: STAP (Dutch institute for alcohol policy) Location: Amsterdam
Preliminary programme (Source: SFA-ISPA)

‚Side Stepping Alcohol Misuse‘, an alcohol awareness project run by London Active Communities and Premier Rugby, is due to kick off across the country this month after receiving £100,000 funding from the charity, Drinkaware. The ground-breaking new youth inclusion project will see specially trained community staff from Premiership Rugby Clubs and local youth workers deliver sports-based alcohol education to young people aged 13 to 19. The programme will target hard to reach and disadvantaged communities in 12 areas, including Newcastle, Leeds and London. (Source: Medical News Today, 3/5/10)

Malawi and Botswana became the two first countries to test a new training package on evidence-based alcohol policies. A third pilot course will be held in Namibia next week.
The new training program has been developed by FORUT and Blue Cross Norway. The background for the initiative is that there exists a broad knowledge base on which types of interventions that are most effective to reduce alcohol-related harm. However, there is a severe information gap. The existing knowledge is not sufficiently distributed to those who need it most; policy makers, politicians, government experts, NGO leaders and the media. This is case for most countries of the world, probably all. (Source: ADD Bulletin 1/2010) Comment: This training should come to Switzerland too.

Alcohol consumption among adolescents is a serious public health concern. Research has shown that prevention programs targeting parents can help prevent underage drinking. The problem is that parental participation in these kinds of interventions is generally low. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine non-participation in a parental support program aiming to prevent underage alcohol drinking. The Health Belief Model has been used as a tool for the analysis. (Source: BMC Public Health, 12/21/09)