Category: Events

Alcohol Occasionals 2021 – Call for speakers/proposals

*** Please note: We are no longer accepting new submissions ***

The 2021 SARN/SHAAP Alcohol Occasionals will be based on the theme of inequalities. This could include alcohol research regarding: deprivation; gender inequalities; COVID-19 and inequalities; BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities; progressive vs. regressive alcohol policy; the homeless (including Managed Alcohol Programmes). 

We are interested to hear from researchers from any discipline who wish to share their findings with an audience made up of fellow researchers, practitioners, policy-makers and the general public. We would particularly welcome presentations from new and early career researchers and/or international speakers. We envisage these events will all take place online.

Dates (all 12:30pm-2pm): Wednesday 20 January / Thursday 25 February / Tuesday 30 March / Wednesday 28 April

If you would like to present or have a suggestion for a researcher you would like to see present, please email c.graham@rcpe.ac.uk

Speakers should provide a short proposal (max. 300 words) and an indication of their availability.

Edinburgh hosts European alcohol policy conference

On 20–21 November 2018, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) hosted the 8th European Alcohol Policy Conference (EAPC). The conference was attended by a variety of stakeholders in the field of alcohol policy from around Europe, including researchers, government officials, civil servants WHO representatives, recovery community groups, and people with lived experience. The conference not only addressed the key issues in the field of alcohol but also shared success stories of approaches that work.

The six themes of the conference were youth, justice, recovery, health, gender, and economics. There was a great deal of discussion between presenters and audience members during the two days and particularly important was the added value of the experiences shared by people in recovery. A short film made for the purpose of the conference made the very point that only by listening to people in recovery can we support people to access recovery services and sustaining recovery.

One key celebration of the conference was the Alcohol Policy Award, which was given to Estonia due to their progress in new alcohol control measures. In recent years, political support has led to implementing policies that address the WHO ‘best buys’, including tax increases, regulations of alcohol marketing, and restricting the availability to alcohol in shops. You can read more about the award here.

© SHAAP/Malcolm Cochrane Photography

Another key feature of the conference was the launch of the new Alcohol Framework, which was announced by the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing Joe Fitzpatrick. The Framework sets out 20 actions to reduce consumption, change population attitudes and encourage positive choices, and supporting families and communities.

Whilst having a European Perspective, the Scottish contribution to the conference was prominent. Of note was that the Alcohol Policy Team at the Scottish Government was awarded recognition for their “outstanding contribution to NCD prevention and control”, by WHO on behalf of the UN Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (UNIATF). Furthermore, PhD student Annie Taylor from Edinburgh Napier University won prize for best poster at the 8EAPC for her poster on alcohol and pregnancy.

A report of the conference along with videos will be made available on SHAAP’s website in due course.

© SHAAP/Malcolm Cochrane Photography

Gender and alcohol in focus during Glasgow Caledonian University’s Research Week

The Glasgow Caledonian University Research Week took place between 14th and 19th of June, which focused on research that has the potential to make significant changes in the world and address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As part of this focus, and addressing Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), an event on alcohol and gender, entitled “Women, Men and Alcohol – Exploding the Myths” was organised by SARN members Dr Carol Emslie and Dr Justina Murray, on 18th June.

The event demonstrated why gender is important in understanding drinking, alcohol-related harm, recovery and family support. Speakers explored the double standards which are applied to men and women’s drinking, the ways in which alcohol marketing targets men and women, and why gender matters in terms of family support and recovery.  This session was led by the Substance Use and Misuse research group at Glasgow Caledonian University and Scottish Families affected by Alcohol an Drugs, and included expert input from Alcohol Focus Scotland, and families who have been affected by substance use.  Comments from those who attended:

“The gender issue for family support is more around getting men in the door – and maybe returning”

“Men are vulnerable through alcohol as well, but media focuses on women”

“We don’t always need to separate the genders – common message (e.g. safety) are important”

“Marketing play on male and female stereotypes to encourage drinking”

Biographies

Dr Carol Emslie leads the Substance Use & Misuse research group at Glasgow Caledonian University. Her work focuses on gender and drinking across the lifecourse. Recent research involved an analysis of newspaper representations of men and women’s ‘binge’ drinking, an exploration of drinking in midlife and the social context of drinking in LGBT communities. The Substance Use & Misuse Research Group works closely with the third sector and engages extensively with practitioners, policy makers, and the public through blogs and social media (@SubMisuseGcu has > 2100 followers), and presentations at public events and the Scottish Parliament.

Dr Justina Murray (@ceosfad) leads Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, which has an ongoing commitment to recognise and support families affected by someone’s substance use.  She has a strong background in research, policy and partnership working, having previously held roles as Chief Officer of South West Scotland Community Justice Authority, Community Planning Coordinator for the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership and the Equal Employment Opportunities Trust in New Zealand.