NorxFold

28/01/2022

Why young people are drinking less – and what older drinkers can learn from them
Young people are drinking less than ever before. Some reading this will be able to recall the 1990s – the decade of peak alcohol, when drinking was a key part of life for young people. The decade saw the rise of pub and club culture, public displays of drunkenness by young adults and the arrival of new kinds of alcoholic drinks you could buy (alcopops anyone?).

Flash forward to 2020 and the picture is very different. A range of studies from countries where drinking is a big part of the culture confirms a sharp decline in alcohol consumption among young people. Research in Sweden, for example, shows a decline across all types of consumption, from the heaviest to the lightest drinkers. Similarly, rates of binge drinking have gone down and people defining themselves as non-drinkers has increased.

There may be significant health benefits to this change in behaviour. Excessive alcohol consumption is the cause of a number of chronic diseases and bad drinking habits are often created between the ages of 16 and 25. So there’s lots to be learnt from the young people who typify how drinking culture appears to be changing.

There are many reasons for the change, which I have recently brought together in a new book with my colleague Fiona Measham. Economic factors, including a wider climate of constraint and austerity, may impinge the time and money young people have available to spend on alcohol. Young people may also be more aware of alcohol’s health risks.

But changes in drinking behaviour may be just one part of broader changes in today’s super-connected youth culture. For example, online technology has made friends and family now instantly accessible via social media and smartphones, and the once central role of pubs and clubs for initiating and consolidating social networks appears to have changed.

The decline could also simply be a redressing of the balance that began with the surge in alcohol’s popularity during the 1990s. It is unclear what the definitive reason is for the change that has taken place. But there is still plenty to learn from these changes in terms of how to encourage others to adopt healthier drinking patterns.

Pros and cons of not drinking
Choosing not to drink alcohol can have implications for people’s social lives. I carried out a study, surveying 500 UK university students who were alcohol drinkers but who were asked about whether they had recently not drank alcohol on social occasions where their peers were drinking.

Nearly half (44%) of the students reported having socialised without drinking alcohol, and reported benefits including higher self-esteem and feeling more productive in life. The main downsides were concerns that not drinking might limit their social lives and fear of missing out. The high proportion of students who had abstained from social drinking in the previous week while in the company of alcohol-consuming friends suggests that going dry while socialising may be more widespread among young adults who do regularly consume alcohol than is typically acknowledged in popular culture.

Young people today do this much less than 20 years ago. Ben Birchall/PA Archive/PA Images
Not drinking has gained cultural visibility in recent years with the rise of phenomena like Dry January. But questions circle around these initiatives. There is currently limited evidence that these events translate into longer-term moderate drinking and whether or not they target those in the most need of curbing their alcohol consumption is also open to question. So it seems we’re still some way off harnessing non-drinking as a way to promote moderate alcohol consumption over a sustained period.

Beating the stigma
One of the biggest roadblocks to encouraging young people to drink less is the stigma there still is around not drinking or even drinking in moderation. Many studies point to this, particularly among students. In one study I worked on, interviewees have spoken of experiencing peer pressure to drink, and if they don’t drink alcohol feeling like they “don’t belong” or even excluded.

Another study suggests that male non-drinkers may face a double whammy of stigma. Their decision to not drink clashes with expectations of being both a young person (where drinking to excess demonstrates “living life to the full”) and gender role specific expectations (being told: “Why are you not having a drink? Man up!”).

Nonetheless, we can expect to see a growth in tolerance toward different drinking behaviour, as more people decide to drink less. This may unlock all sorts of possibilities when it comes to promoting moderate drinking across the population at large. The rise in interest in drink-free challenges, for example, and healthier lifestyles more generally, suggests the cultural climate is ripe for putting non-drinking centre stage in public health promotion materials.

Also, the emergence of “sober spaces” in young adult social environments is significant. For example, the rise of cafe culture, increased demand for living accommodation where alcohol use is prohibited and activities like sober raves and the “conscious clubbing” movement. Pubs and clubs are no longer the go-to space for people to socialise, thanks to diverse cultural factors including increased numbers of young people who do not drink and the increased acceptability of non-drinking as a social option.

Understanding these changes is an ongoing process. But shifts in how alcohol is viewed by young adults shows that excessive drinking doesn’t have to be the default way of socialising and perhaps we can all have a healthier relationship with booze.

28/01/2022

Young people are anxious about coronavirus. Political leaders need to talk with them, not at them
Young people in Australia are among the fastest-growing group to contract COVID19. According to the Department of Health, there are now more cases in Australia among people aged 20 – 29 years than any other age group. Our research has found that, contrary to popular belief, many young people in Australia are seriously concerned about the virus.

YouthInsight, the research arm of Student Edge, conducted an online survey of 520 young people aged 14 – 25 around Australia in March 2020. Ninety-three percent of respondents were studying.

Coronavirus brings anxiety
The survey found that the health of families was their greatest concern, followed by the impact on their studies. Respondents gained most of their information about COVID-19 from social media, their schools and television news. Knowledge about hygiene and physical distancing measures was relatively high, but there was some misinformation about practices such as drinking more water and “taking a pneumonia vaccine”. More than half of the respondents had had their work hours cut. The majority expressed feelings of concern, fear, anxiety and depression.

Reachout, Australia’s leading youth online mental health organisation, has found that young people using community forums are worried about managing their mental health and other preexisting health conditions with increasing physical restrictions. They fear their well-being will be de-prioritised in a health system under strain. They describe feeling overwhelmed, anxious and uncertain about the short and long-term future, with loss of work and employment instability causing severe anxiety. School and university students report facing drastic changes to modes of learning, or even deferrals.

Read more: COVID-19 has thrown year 12 students' lives into chaos. So what can we do?

Young people involved in the Wellbeing, Health & Youth NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence and the Australian Association for Adolescent Health feel that inconsistent messaging from the government at state and national levels has made it harder for the community to come together.

As co-authors of this article, they note young people in school have received conflicting advice from governments and unfeasible directives such as maintaining physical distance while sitting in dual classroom desks, elbow-to-elbow.

Those who live away from family (such as many university students) face difficult decisions between being cut off from families or studying online, away from peers. Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are concerned about how COVID-19 will affect their elders. Elders hold all knowledge, and at times like this young people would visit, sit with and learn from them. This is no longer possible with physical distancing restrictions.

While WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed gratitude most young people are “spreading the word, not the virus”, Australian governments have made little effort to communicate with young people.

Instead, they have been singled out in press conferences, “blasted” and “lambasted” by the chief medical officer. They have also been chided by the prime minister, who has reportedly “lost confidence” in the “younger community”. Media coverage of the debate around school closures has mostly talked about young people, rather than with them.

How can policymakers become more attuned and responsive to young people’s needs and concerns?

Engaging with young people works
We have seen global action led by young people in relation to climate change and evidence that they have a major role to play in disasters when they are given a voice.

Press conferences for children have been held by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg to answer their questions and help allay anxiety.

Such activities send a powerful message that young people are valued and listened to. An Australian political leader or health communication expert could hold regular conversations with young people to garner their concerns and inform press conferences.

Organisations such as ReachOut.com have shown, for more than 20 years, how working in partnership with young people to understand how mental health policy and services can better engage with their concerns and needs results in better engagement and outcomes.

Social media is one part of the solution
With physical distancing, the whole world is increasingly online, seeking clarity and connection about what to do. In response to false information going viral, Facebook, Google, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, and TikTok are “working to tackle misinformation” by prioritising resources and tips from reputable sources.

Read more: Studying a uni course online? Here are 4 tips to get yourself tech ready

While this is a positive change for our information landscape, we cannot only rely on filtering by social media platforms. A review exploring social media and the well-being of children and young people found young people’s online and offline social connections, motivations and values underpin their health and well-being.

More than targeting communications at young people and their peers, caregivers and trusted professionals need to be involved in discussions about what information to share and how to support each other in these unprecedented times. Existing platforms, such as youth services, youth peaks, consumer and adolescent health research organisations convene groups of young people to advise in such situations.

Coronavirus is a litmus test for the strength of societies everywhere. We are all in this together. To make changes that are equitable and sustainable for young and old alike, we must act together – in policy and community responses. The best way to include young people is to engage meaningfully and respectfully – and speak with, not at, them.

28/01/2022

Young people were already struggling before the pandemic. Here are 7 ways to help them navigate a changed world
As we start to think about rebuilding our lives in the midst of an ongoing pandemic, we need to be clearer than ever about what kind of Australia we want to live in, what counts as progress, and how we measure how well we’re succeeding.

This is because the indirect effects of this pandemic – social, emotional, educational and economic – will far outweigh the direct effects on physical health. We will need every ounce of clarity around our national identity (what we stand for) to ensure these don’t disproportionately impact the most vulnerable in our society.

Read more: 'The Australian government is not listening': how our country is failing to protect its children

Among those most at risk are children and young people, who are now attempting to make their way forward in a very different world.

Despite Australia’s strong economy before the pandemic, young Australians were already showing signs of struggle. Australia ranked just 21st out of 41 European Union/OECD countries on comparative indicators of well-being.

Research shows how poorly some young Australians were faring:

one in five started school developmentally vulnerable

one in four was overweight or obese

one in seven had mental health problems

one in six lived in poverty (OECD definition)

one in eight directly experienced family violence

one in two were distressed about climate change.

The question now is how much worse these statistics will get as we enter the most significant economic downturn since the second world war.

The simple answer is we don’t know, but experts fear the worst for children and young people. This raises a pressing question about how we safeguard the well-being of future generations.

Positive changes brought by the pandemic
There are some reasons to be hopeful. The pandemic has forced us to find support in our local communities (albeit at a distance) and immediate families. For some, this has meant long walks in the park, getting to know neighbours and incredible acts of human kindness.

These simple things may be improving well-being in children and young people by helping them appreciate the natural world and better understand altruism. These values are often dismissed when we focus on developing the next generation to contribute to the economy rather than society.

Read more: For children in foster care, the coronavirus pandemic could be extremely destabilising

We have seen the greatness of Australian civil society, too. The importance of protecting the health of every Australian has been a higher priority than protecting our wealth and economic growth.

However, health and economics are inextricably tied. As we adjust to living with coronavirus, we face the unenviable challenge of trying to spark an economic recovery while maintaining our focus on care for the most vulnerable in society. Herein lies a new test of Australian civic values.

Again, there is reason for hope. The nature of the pandemic has required societal changes that are more environmentally sound – greater localised food production, a focus on regional trade and Zoom meetings over travel. The more important things in life have been clarified for many.

Read more: 8 tips on what to tell your kids about coronavirus

Ironically, the pandemic may have paved the way for sweeping reforms that if sustained, could change society for the better.

Within these possibilities, it is essential we focus on the next generation because they are the future custodians of Australian civic values and society. It is time to elevate the well-being of children and young people as a new nation-building commitment, and fully invest in them as we adjust to our new norms.

Steps to ensure children’s well-being
We can do this in straightforward and concrete ways that can be implemented immediately. Key among these would be to

add well-being measures for children and young people to our national accounting system so our leaders are held accountable for progress on these goals

maintain universal free child care and access to early years learning to improve equity in school readiness

permanently increase income support, such as Newstart, and prevent long-term and structural unemployment to help bring children and young people out of poverty

invest in affordable and social housing construction to stimulate the economy and ensure all children and young people have a home

encourage employers to continue enabling secure, flexible working arrangements to increase family time and reduce commuting

commit to climate action to ensure the natural world and our society not only survives for future generations but thrives

listen to the voices of children and young people (particularly First Nations peoples) by providing meaningful and developmentally appropriate opportunities to participate in nation building, including the establishment of highly effective youth citizens’ assemblies.

Leaders have been listening to experts and making decisions based on evidence throughout the pandemic. And as a result, confidence in government and social trust in Australia have improved.

It is time to choose the type of Australia we want to live in as we forge our new path with coronavirus. Let’s ensure we prioritise the health, well-being and security of our youngest citizens and future generations.

28/01/2022

28/01/2022