The interplay between social support and alcohol consumption (ISSAC)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring the interplay between social support, alcohol consumption and attempts to cut down or stop drinking across the life course
IRAS ID
261856
Contact name
Philippa Case
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2019/04/24, Data Protection Registration (UCL)
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
We know that the relationship between drinking alcohol and social relationships can be complex, and that these relationships can sometimes be helpful and sometimes less helpful in attempts to reduce or stop drinking.
Existing research into the relationship between social support and alcohol has tended to focus either on just one element of social support (for example, being married or feeling lonely). However, we know that one person could have several different types of relationship (e.g. partner, friends, family, support groups, religious groups etc.) and different people might offer different types of support, which may contribute to that person drinking more or less alcohol and might help or not help that person to get treatment.
With this study, we aim to explore which aspects of social relationships contribute to changes in alcohol consumption and how drinking alcohol can lead to changes in social relationships.
This study will involve one to one interviews with two groups of participants: 1) participants who are accessing alcohol treatment services and 2) participants who are drinking at higher risk levels (35 or more units per week for women / 50 or more units per week for men) and have never accessed alcohol treatment services.
Participants will be asked to talk about their experiences of social support, alcohol consumption and attempts to reduce or stop drinking throughout their life and explore how these areas have related to each other.
We hope that having a better understanding of the connection between social relationships and drinking alcohol will 1) help improve future public health messages about alcohol consumption, for example, by promoting activities which encourage social interactions without alcohol or with less alcohol, and 2) help to support alcohol services make improvements by highlighting the importance of social relationships in both drinking alcohol and accessing alcohol treatment.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/1266
Date of REC Opinion
22 Oct 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion