Alcohol-related violence: the impact of drinking pattern and drinking context.

Abstract

The impact of alcohol consumption, drinking pattern and drinking context on involvement in alcohol-related violence was assessed in a survey of 2711 Norwegian adults. Having taken part in a fight while influenced by alcohol and having been injured by an intoxicated person during the past year was reported by 3% and 2.4% of the respondents, respectively. Involvement in alcohol-related violence was most often reported among younger people, among single people, and it was positively associated with alcohol consumption, frequency of intoxication and frequency of visiting public drinking places. Both frequency of intoxication and overall alcohol consumption were positively associated with the probability of having been in a fight while intoxicated. Frequency of visits to public drinking places was significantly associated with the risk of being injured by an intoxicated person, also when own drinking pattern was controlled for. The results also indicated that the more often drinking takes place in public drinking places, the less is the impact of intoxication on the probability of getting into a fight.