H2O Nordic Spring Session
Time: 1-2.4.2014
Place: Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues, Hantverkargatan 29, Stockholm
Present
Lauri Beekmann
Kim Bloomfield
Jakob Demant
Jessica Gustafsson
Tomas Hemmingsson
Marke Jääskeläinen
Nina Karlsson (chair)
Sveinbjörn Kristjánsson
Per Leimar
Ingunn Olea Lund
Inger Synnøve Moan
Kirsimarja Raitasalo
Mats Ramstedt
Janne Scheffels
Elisabet E. Storvoll
Erica Sundin
Christoffer Tigerstedt
Janne Tolstrup
Jukka Törrönen
Nordic Alcohol and Drug Policy Network
Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University
Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen
Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues Finland
SoRAD, Stockholm University
Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies
Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues Finland
Directorate of Health, Iceland
IOGT-NTO, Sweden
SIRUS, Norway
SIRUS, Norway
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
STAD, Sweden
SIRUS, Norway
SIRUS, Norway
STAD, Sweden
National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland
National Institute of Public Health, Denmark
SoRAD, Stockholm University
Agenda
1. Presentation of project plan, survey group
- Comments and discussion
2. Presentation of project plan, qualitative group
- Comments and discussion
3. Presentation of project plan, register-data group
- Comments and discussion
4. Funding opportunities
5. Summary and next steps
Presentation of project plan, survey group
Participating countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark.
The group has collected Nordic comparable data which will be merged into a Nordic data set. Two
research papers have been planned:
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1. Being negatively affected by drinking of family and friends - a comparative study of Nordic
countries. The paper will explore differences and similarities in the occurrence of negative
effects of others’ drinking (family & friends) as well as look into differences in how
background factors are related to the risk of negative effects of others’ drinking. The study
will explore how levels of consumption and binge drinking are reflected in the risk of
reported negative consequences of others’ drinking. How do higher consumption/increased
binge-drinking predict affect tolerance of alcohol-related harm from others?
2. Experiences of specific negative consequences related to others’ drinking: Nordic crosscountry comparison. The study will look into the prevalence and predictors of experienced
harm from others’ drinking. The focus in on specific negative consequences such as being
afraid of a drunk person, experience of physical harm, and experiences of being insulted by
drunken persons.
Schedule:
-
Nordic data will be merged into one data set during spring/autumn
Article drafts presented at next meeting in autumn 2014
Presentation of project plan, qualitative group
Participating countries: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
The group will collect data by conducting focus group interviews with groups of adolescents and
adults. Pictures and stories portraying various drinking scenes involving adults and
adolescents/children will be used as stimulus material. Using an experimental approach, the
interviews will aim at grasping the boundaries of tolerance of alcohol consumption in various
situations and circumstances. What situations and circumstances turn a drinking situation harmful to
others present?
Schedule:
-
Pilot interviews in Norway, autumn 2014.
Main data collection in the participating countries spring/autumn 2015
Presentation of project plan, register-data group
Participating countries: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
The overall theme of the group is to explore outcomes of parents’ alcohol consumption in children.
The participants will study different groups of alcohol consumers, focusing on outcomes in children
of both heavy-drinking parents (in treatment) as well as children of parents with less risky drinking
patterns. Four common outcomes have been defined: injuries, psychiatric diagnoses, hospitalisations
and contact with social services.
1. In Denmark an out-clinic treatment facility (alcohol problems) database can be linked to a
number of registries in order to identify outcomes in the children of the treatment facility
clients.
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2. In Finland register entries related to alcohol abuse disorders (i.e. severe misuse) are available
and can be linked to various registries indicating outcomes in children. Different registries
can be used in defining outcomes for different age groups.
3. In Norway survey data on adults’ alcohol consumption can be linked to register data on the
children of the respondents. The objective is to look into the general masses of alcohol
consumers (i.e. not only heavy-drinkers) and connections of parents’ alcohol consumption to
negative outcomes in their children.
4. In Sweden parents’ drinking and outcomes in children can be studied using a survey study
conducted among conscripts in 1950. A possible approach is to look into what were the
outcomes for the children of conscripts who were heavy drinkers in 1950/what were the
outcomes for the children of conscripts with smaller alcohol consumption.
Schedule
-
Research project plans will be developed and presented at the next meeting in autumn 2014
Funding opportunities
STAD with THL and SIRUS as co-applicants have applied for funding for meetings and collaboration
from NOS HS. The application includes all H2O Nordic projects and funding decisions will be
announced in June.
Funding opportunities for Nordic collaborative research projects are scarce and all participants
should primary aim at incorporating a Nordic aspect into nationally funded research projects.
The latest news from NordForsk is that a call on Nordic research on health inequalities is being
developed and will (possibly) be opened for applicants in summer/autumn 2014.
NVC is likely to have a small budget for meetings and collaboration also in 2015. NVC will continue to
coordinate and support the project.
Summary and next steps
Work will continue according to the schedule and plans made in each sub-group. Most participants
will also participate in KBS in June and we will try to fit in a H2O Nordic lunch meeting in Turin. The
next working meeting will be arranged in autumn (October?) 2014.
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