Exploring the relationship between age at first drink, low-risk drinking knowledge and drinks counting: six rounds of a country-wide survey in Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Although a reasonable volume of research has been conducted around health impacts of age at first drink of alcohol on adverse health outcomes, the effects of age at first drink of alcohol on knowledge of low-risk drinking and drinks counting habits were rarely researched. The objective of this study is to examine the associations between age at first full serve of alcohol, knowledge of low-risk drinking and frequency of drinks counting. STUDY
DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study.
METHODS: Data of six rounds of the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, conducted during the period 2001-2016, were analysed. Multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to explore the associations.
RESULTS: Most people drank the first full serve of alcohol during adolescence, and the age at first full serve of alcohol was consumed increased over time. The levels of knowledge of low-risk drinking and frequency of drinks counting increased with age at first drink of alcohol more steeply during adolescence than in the later period. Participants' age at drinking the first full serve of alcohol was significantly associated with knowledge of low-risk drinking and drinks counting. There was an increasing trend of significant risk ratio between knowledge score and the frequency of drinks counting.
CONCLUSION: It seems conceivable that those who reported drinking the first full serve of alcohol before 16 years of age were indifferent to drinks counting, and they lacked necessary knowledge of standard drink of alcohol or low-risk drinking. Tailored prevention programs are recommended among adolescents to delay age at first drink of alcohol and to enhance their knowledge base on low-risk drinking.