The association between home alcohol access and alcohol-related problems among US adolescents

Background: Research that links parenting factors to adolescent drinking is fairly well developed, but few studies have examined the association between home alcohol availability and problematic drinking. The present study examines the net relationship between easy access to alcohol at home and several types of alcohol-related problems among US adolescents. Methods: A total of 3,964 US adolescents participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) reported on the accessibility of alcohol in their homes as well as whether they experienced various types of personal problems caused by alcohol use. Binary logistic regression analysis that included relevant controls was conducted to estimate the link between ease of access and alcohol-related problems. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed that easy home access to alcohol significantly predicted alcohol-related difficulties after adjusting for relevant control variables, and it did so across all problem areas. Discussion: Results suggest that the risk of problematic drinking is raised among adolescents if alcohol is readily accessible at home. Restricting access might be a simple strategy to reduce drinking-related problems among adolescents.