The development of a context specific survey to measure drinking occasions

Background Extensive research has examined how contextual characteristics of drinking occasions, such as why and where an individual drinks, independently influence alcohol-related outcomes. Limited research has considered which characteristics should be measured and how they should be measured. This thesis aimed to undertake literature-based and primary research to develop and test a context-specific survey to measure the characteristics of drinking occasions. Methods Firstly, a systematic review identified and assessed the data collection techniques used within the event-level literature to measure occasion characteristics. Secondly, a content analysis of discussion forums identified the most mentioned characteristics of heavy drinking occasions within posts to online alcohol support discussion forums. Thirdly, drawing on the findings from the first two studies, the process of developing and testing a context-specific drinking occasion survey, using expert and public input and cognitive testing is described. Finally, the survey is used to collect and analyse cross-sectional data to identify which occasion characteristics are associated with consumption amongst heavy drinkers and their heavy drinking occasions. Results Whilst no gold-standard data collection approach was found, retrospective drinking diaries were identified as most appropriate for the current research due to good compliance rates and low participant burden. In identifying which characteristics should be measured, why, where, who, when, and what individuals drank were salient within discussions of their heavy drinking occasions. Through expert and public input, several changes to survey design led to the creation of a context-specific survey. In using the survey, contextual characteristics accounted for significantly more variance in consumption than individual characteristics within heavy drinkers’ occasions and their heavy drinking occasions. Conclusions and recommendations Through an iterative development and testing process this thesis produced a novel context-specific drinking occasion survey which contains key characteristics relevant to heavy drinking. Future research should use this survey to provide a comprehensive analysis of the drinking occasion characteristics that account for variation in consumption.