Mechanisms of impact of alcohol availability interventions from the perspective of 63 diverse alcohol licensing stakeholders: a qualitative interview study

This article consists of a citation of a published article describing research funded by the Public Health Research programme under project number 15/129/11, and is provided as as part of the complete record of research outputs for this project. The original publication is available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2023.2205991 Aims Interventions restricting temporal and spatial availability of alcohol are associated with reduced harm, but the pathways by which specific interventions have impact are poorly understood. We examined mechanisms of impact from the perspective of diverse licensing stakeholders. Methods Fifty-three in-depth interviews were conducted with licensing stakeholders (from public health teams [PHTs], police, local authority licensing teams and lawyers, and alcohol premises licensing committees) from 20 local government areas. Interviewees were recruited as part of the Exploring the impact of alcohol licensing in England and Scotland (ExILEnS) study. Data were analyzed thematically and preliminary themes/subthemes were discussed during online groups with a different sample of public health and licensing professionals (n = 10). Findings Most interviewees struggled to articulate how availability interventions might lead to changes in alcohol consumption or harms. Five overarching mechanisms were identified: access, visibility, premises and area-level norms, affordability, and management of the night-time economy, with specific pathways identified for certain subgroups/premises types. The mechanisms by which alcohol availability interventions may impact on alcohol consumption and harms are diverse, but were poorly understood. Conclusions These findings will inform licensing and availability policy and advocacy, highlighting the need for further scrutiny of the evidence underpinning identified mechanisms, and primary research to address knowledge gaps. Funding This publication was funded by the Public Health Research programme as a part of award number 15/129/11. This article reports on one component of the research award EXILENS EXploring the Impact of alcohol Licensing in ENgland and Scotland: a mixed-method, natural experiment evaluation of public health engagement in alcohol premises licensing and impact on alcohol-related harms. For more information about this research please view the award page [https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/15/129/11] DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2023.2205991