More alcohol outlets in poor neighbourhoods than wealthy

by Rich Bowden - Aug 4 2009, 04:47

A New Zealand study has found that people are exposed to more alcohol outlets if they live in a poor neighbourhood if they reside in more wealthier suburbs.

A team from the University of Otago set out to discover whether there was any variation to proximity to outlets that sell alcohol based on socio-economic factors and found a variability which was based on income.

"The overall pattern was of easier access to off-licenses, pubs, and clubs in more deprived neighbourhoods," said Principal Investigator Dr Kypros Kypri, an IPRU Research Associate and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Newcastle's School of Medicine & Public Health in a university news release.

"In terms of travel distance and access to alcohol outlets," say the investigators, "residents in more deprived urban areas do not need access to a car to purchase alcohol as outlets are well within walking distance."

"This contrasts dramatically with the situation in some other countries, such as Australia, where alcohol is less accessible," says Dr Kypri.

Both urban and rural neighbourhoods were examined by the team to prevent any disparity.

The research findings, "Neighbourhood deprivation and access to alcohol outlets: A national study" will appear in the next issue of he journal Health & Place.

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