Citation

Trolldal B, Brännström L, Paschall MJ, Leifman H. Addiction 2013; 108(1): 89-96.

Affiliation

STAD (Stockholm Prevents Alcohol and Drug Problems), Centre for Psychiatric Research, Stockholm County Council Health Care Provision / Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04004.x

PMID

22775309

Abstract

AIM: A multi-component Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) program has been disseminated in Swedish municipalities. The aim of the program is to reduce violence associated with consumption of alcohol at on-licensed premises. This study aimed to analyse the effect of the program on police-recorded assaults after the dissemination of the program in Swedish municipalities, 1996-2009. DESIGN: This study is a natural experiment that uses variation in the level of implementation of the RBS program to predict change in the rate of police-recorded assaults. SETTING: Swedish municipalities PARTICIPANTS: The municipalities included in the study initiated the RBS program no later than 2008. On-licensed premises open during the evenings must exist. Out of 290 municipalities, 237 fulfilled these requirements. MEASUREMENT: Program fidelity was studied by means of several surveys. Yearly data on police-recorded assaults, per 100,000 inhabitants aged 15 and above, committed on weekend nights, were used as dependent variable. A fixed effects panel data regression model was used to examine the effect of the program. FINDINGS: Each extension of the program, by one component, was associated with a significant 3.1% reduction in assaults. However, this effect was mainly seen in smaller municipalities. Of the different components of the program, the presence of a community coalition steering group had a significant effect on assaults. No significant effect was found regarding RBS training or supervision of on-licensed premises. CONCLUSION: Multi-component Responsible Beverage Service programs can have a significant effect on police-recorded assaults even when implemented on a large scale in many communities.

Language: en